Virtuous Sin
by The Akatsuki Wolf
Summary: The things that torment your nightmares, are things Sasuke wished were as simple as bad dreams he could wake up from. He was hunted and taken by a merciless Vampire, and Deidara has no intention to make his life anything but agony. By chance the young raven meets another Vampire. By chance they fall in love. Two Vampires. Two paths. One will be his heaven, the other his he**.
1. Nothing But Prey

**AUTHORESS: Amaya~Ikari**

**DATE WRITTEN: 13/2/13**

**TITLE: Virtuous Sin**

**ANIME: Naruto**

**PAIRING: Yaoi: NarutoXSasuke/SasukeXNaruto/DeidaraXSasuke**

**STATUS: Multichapter: Complete**

**RELATED STORIES: None**

**WARNINGS: Mental and physical abuse, brutal rape/non-con, violence, dark themes, Vampires, AU, mentions of domestic abuse.**

_~Fear is simply a lack of knowledge for what we do not know and understand~_

* * *

A sixteen year old boy with eyes as dark as the night sky above him and hair of the same obsidian color that hung around his jawline walked down an eerily empty alleyway of the small town he called home. He had moved to France nearly a year ago, to escape his cold home village of Konoha. It was nearly seven years after his older brother ran away from their home. Leaving him alone, alone to handle their family, the pressure of growing up under the stress of being the Uchiha heir after Itachi's disownment.

Leaving him alone to face their father's cruel abuse.

Sasuke shook his head to clear his mind of the turbulent memories that attacked him like small knives into his heart. It didn't do anything to dwell on his past. His brother had left, and so had he. He was done with their mistreatment. He had his own life now. He'd followed the clan expectations in one way at least, he excelled at nearly everything. He finished high school soon after turning sixteen, and was now deciding on finding a college to enroll in to pursue a higher education. He lived in a small house he'd rented from an elderly woman, not expensive and it was pretty comfortable.

He sighed as he pulled his jacket tighter around him. He hadn't made any real "friends" while living here. He'd worked with people and had people that might consider _him_ a friend, but he didn't find the need to waste his time with others. They got in his way. He wondered then, if anyone in his home village missed him. His family wouldn't. Well, his mother might, but she was never able to stand up to their father. He'd put Itachi in the hospital, and after that, the elder escaped home. And Sasuke took all the pressure and pain Itachi had left behind him. He held a cold grudge against Itachi for abandoning him, but he had done his best to move on; to forget his old life. He walked up to his home and pulled out his key, not knowing someone had been following him ever since he had walked out of the library.

Iwa Deidara's attention had zeroed in on a young human male, a lithe body and gorgeous features. He was boiling over with emotion; anger, hatred and utter _sorrow._ He shivered as the young man's emotions filled him with unadulterated hunger. He wanted him, he needed him. He hadn't fed in weeks, and this enticing raven was perfect. The blonde Vampire's fangs lengthened and shone forbiddingly in the full moon's light. He followed after him silently; his icy blue eyes were cruel and sadistic. He waited for Sasuke to turn the key in the lock before shoving him forward into the house and locking it behind him. No one was around to hear him; he could have all the fun he wanted with this attractive, esoteric teenager.

Sasuke gasped in shock as someone that felt incredibly strong practically threw him forward, making him land on his side on the hardwood floor. He shook his head, lifting it to glare icily and scream obscenities at whoever had dared to do such a bold thing, but his words grabbed onto his throat and wouldn't leave.

A man leaned against his door, his long blonde hair reached near the middle of his back and part of it fell over one of his cold blue eyes, it was partially tied up. He was taller and more muscled. He wore a smirk that spoke volumes of his cruel intentions. "What do you think you're doing, you insane idiot?" Sasuke demanded in a nonchalant, cold voice. The man laughed, making him angrier. He stood up and raised a fist to punch the arrogant and obviously delusional person, but his arm was grabbed and twisted painfully behind his back. He gasped as he was forced forward, his knees connecting hard onto the ground.

"Manners, Sasuke. Is that any way to treat a guest, yeah?" The man purred into his ear, causing Sasuke to shiver and his eyes to widen. "What the hell do you want? How do you know my name?" He hissed, wincing as his hair was grabbed in a fist and yanked back, exposing his throat. He bit his lip, was he going to kill him? He had no reason to, he had nothing to steal, no information to give, no enemies. "I've been watching you a little while, Sasuke. I know all about you. Poor thing, left all alone with no one to care for him, hm." He nipped his throat, earning a flinch. "No one to protect him." He smirked then as Sasuke thrashed against him. He was a fighter.

It would be so much fun to break him.

He tore the jacket straight off of the Uchiha's body, growling in warning as Sasuke violently tried to wrench away from his grasp. He pinned the raven to the floor on his back, arms above his head.

How did he know so much about him? Had he been stalking him? For how long… He struggled as his shirt was unbuttoned to expose him. "Fuck off!" He hissed the vulgar demand, glaring in rage.

He was laughed at. "Shut up, Uchiha." He smirked, kissing him hard enough to bruise Sasuke's lips. The raven tensed in horror, trying to squirm away from the larger man. He was so strong, sure he was bigger in build than Sasuke but he still should have been affected by his violent struggles. But he wouldn't even budge. Sasuke felt a strange, icy fear crawl up his spine. He gasped as the man bit down on his lower lip, shuddering in revulsion as a tongue entered his mouth. It didn't register to him that he could have bitten the blonde, and it might have been lucky that it hadn't.

"Mm, you taste sweet. Innocent." An inexorable look entered his eyes. "You're a virgin aren't you?" He said, eyes seeming to become darker. Sasuke tried to keep himself calm, though he was tense. He'd never slept with a man; he'd not wanted to acknowledge his sexuality.

"Perfect." The man purred, keeping Sasuke's hands pinned he tore his pants off, making the teenager finally scream in desperate hope someone would hear him. He couldn't bear the thought of this man touching him.

Deidara growled, slapping Sasuke hard enough to break his skin, earning a stifled gasp. "Mm, you can handle a hit can't you? I guess you did learn something from daddy didn't you?" Sasuke's breath caught in horror. He couldn't know anything about that, there was no way… "Who are you?" He demanded in a high tone, his fear growing past his control. The blonde smirked as he ran a hand down Sasuke's chest and stomach. The Uchiha shivered, his belly was sensitive. "Name's Deidara. Remember that so you can scream it later, Uchiha." He smirked widely, his fangs catching the light as his hunger grew. He chuckled at the horrified, alarmed look in Sasuke's eyes.

He must have been seeing things, he… He looked like he had fangs. Was it some sort of strange surgery? Was this man even crazier than he had thought? "Wh-what are you?" His voice was barely a shocked whisper as Deidara undressed himself with far too much ease as he kept Sasuke immobile. "You want to find out?" The older male purred, grazing his fangs along Sasuke's throat and causing him to shiver vehemently. His hand slid down Sasuke's body, roughly grabbing his member. The raven ground his teeth against the sound of discomfort that tried to leave his mouth.

"You're a difficult slut to please." Deidara murmured against his neck, roughly pumping him. Sasuke winced at the harsh treatment, squirming as he tried to get him to stop. He turned to the side as he was forced to full hardness, gritting his teeth. He would steel himself against whatever the blonde did.

"Trying to be tough, hm?" The blonde smirked, forcing Sasuke's legs apart. The teenager's eyes went wide in undeniable horror, trying to close his legs as Deidara pulled him closer. He chuckled darkly, shivering as the unadulterated fear coursed through him like a drug. Every emotion Sasuke gave only made him stronger. Hungrier.

He didn't play around anymore, with one hard thrust he buried himself inside the virgin entrance completely dry and unprepared, groaning at the hot tightness and agonized scream that came from Sasuke. He dug his nails into Sasuke's thighs, making blood drip down them along with the blood coating his inner thighs and dripping to the floor. Tears made wet trails down Sasuke's cheeks as he shook his head, trying to pull away. "You're tearing me apart!" He screamed in a plea for Deidara to stop. One that the blonde ignored as he began to move hard into him, the blood acting as a lubricant and making it easier to move. Sasuke sobbed in pain, fists clenching together so hard his nails broke the skin on his palm.

Deidara growled as he started slamming into the lissome body beneath him, his instinct hazing his mind as he violently took him, nails scratching Sasuke's torso and thighs and teeth nipping his shoulder and neck to leave dark bruises. The young Uchiha, could do nothing but take it. He felt like a toy, like a completely helpless toy. He cried and screamed the rougher Deidara got until the older man finally came. Sasuke was nearly sick as his rapist filled him, blood and seed dirtied his body. His thighs, chest, belly and face had bloody nail marks covering them and his hips and neck were bruised darkly. His lips were swollen and eyes bright as tears still dripped from them. He felt completely torn apart, it was like fire.

He hoped Deidara was done, had gotten what he wanted. He flinched as the blonde kissed his neck, those forbidding fangs that Sasuke tried to ignore or pass off as some weird, plastic surgery, dangerously grazed his skin. And when they sank into his throat, stealing his crimson life and at the same time spreading an excruciating, burning toxin throughout his body that made him convulse and scream, he knew exactly what his tormentor was. The word screamed in his mind until he was incoherent with agony.

_Vampire._

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**Fuck I'm tired. And this story got the song Poison by Alice Cooper stuck in my head. This will be a long IMPORTANT note, so get your lazy ass over here and read. **

**This idea is born from a "roleplay" a friend and I did. She is an authoress here called CrystalDarkSamus. We made NaruSasuNaru a side pairing in the story and we added small details for them, which I took and grew into a full blown idea. And you know I just **_**can't**_** ignore my ideas. That's like telling your children to fuck off. So I asked her permission and she said I could, so this is her credit for the idea. Go see her. **

**So… This is rather dark isn't it? I just don't think it is for some reason. I've practiced angst as of late, maybe that's why. I'm really excited for this story and I know "Vampire" is cliché but come on, I LIKE it. We LIKE cliché, huh guys? By the way, yeah… Not your typical Vampire… Has it been done before? A Vampire feeding off of emotions along with blood and sex? I know they say Vampires are creatures of lust and seduction. **

**Yes my little wolfies, I like abusing Sasuke. **

**Sasuke: Why?!**

**Amaya: **_**Because.**_

**Review and leave constructive criticism, because unless it's something I purposely did, I will go back and edit instantly. I don't need flames. I have enough flaming boys over here already. **

_**Don't tell Sasuke what that means!**_


	2. This Animal I Have Become

_Your cruel device._

_Your blood like ice. _

_One look could kill._

_My pain, your thrill._

* * *

Every labored breath echoed off the stone prison. Sasuke's glistening black eyes stared straight up at the ceiling from his spot on the ground, where he was sprawled on his back. His shadow was his only company.

He'd been here three days. The excruciating, searing pain that engulfed his body and mind like a smothering blanket had finally ceased its relentless attack. He was sweating, panting, and desperately trying to calm the raging feeling inside of him that something was gravely wrong. He remembered nothing but vague pieces of being carelessly dragged for what seemed like endless miles and tossed into this hellish chamber.

He had nothing to hope or pray for. No one would know he was even gone, he had no family or friends to report to or miss him. He had no chance of being rescued. He doubted anyone could find him if he did. His chest moved quickly to supply him with air, but he never seemed to get any. It was as though his body wouldn't take it.*

He hadn't seen anyone else at all; but he knew they were there. He felt them. Felt the blood course through their veins, hearts thunder against their chests. He violently shivered, his naked form covered by an old cloak he had found. His hair clung to his face with blood and sweat, but the wounds were gone. He felt phantom pain, memories of the horrid agony racing through him, turning his nerves into live wires. He felt like he was rooted to the earth. He felt and heard everything like it was in front of him. It wasn't a superpower you would like having, it was terrifying. It was like never being alone.

It was like slowly going insane.

He flinched when several loud bangs started on their way towards him, curling into a ball and covering his ears. He still couldn't catch his breath.

He tensed as the door to the room was thrown open, shivering as a deep chuckle reverberated through the air. "Finally stopped your screaming, hm?" A familiar voice asked. He hadn't known he was screaming. "Oh yes, Sasuke." Deidara answered his silent question. "You screamed and begged and convulsed like something was shocking you, it was rather amusing, hm." Every time that speech habit left the blonde, it sounded like a cruel, amused laugh.

Now Sasuke remembered bits and pieces of his violent hallucinations. Of his past, of his brother, of the violent torture he'd suffered that night. "What have you done to me?" He rasped, feeling like his throat had sand in it. Deidara chuckled before reaching down and in one lightning fast movement, grabbed Sasuke by the hair and jerked him off the floor. The raven gasped harshly, reaching up to grip Deidara's wrists as he was dragged across the floor and into a small corner, where the older man threw open a door. He tossed him down in front of a mirror. "Look at yourself." He hissed at Sasuke. The teenager swallowed dryly before tilting his head up. Had he had anything in his stomach, he'd have been sick.

As he stared in horror at the mirror, rage overtook him. He had sharp fangs protruding from his lips, his skin was paler than before if possible. He looked utterly inhuman. He gasped in shock as his onyx eyes bled to crimson, three black markings swirling in the iris. "What did you do…" He whispered as he ran his tongue along the fangs, as if testing to see if they were real. "What the hell did you do to me!" He screamed, standing on shaky legs and whirling to face the blonde. Deidara sneered at him.

"How does it feel knowing you're now a monster, hm?" He mocked. Sasuke snarled, startled at the animalistic sound as it left his throat. He felt unbridled rage and pain. He wasn't human anymore, he was one of them. He wouldn't ever die, wouldn't ever be able to really _live._ Why hadn't the blonde just killed him.

In a way, he really had.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

***- He is used to breathing and the feeling of breathing, his mind wants oxygen when his body doesn't really need it. You can just say he doesn't like all this change.**

**Should I be doing this? No. I have piled up schoolwork to catch up on and stories to beta and other stories to write. But, when you've been a writer for some time, you learn that it is a mistake to ignore inspiration when it comes along. Don't ever let it slip past you unless there's something else that's in dire need of attention. **

**Like whether you pass or fail classes. *Snort***

**At any rate, this is getting increasingly darker… It will get lighter, but for right now it's a deep pool of angst and shadows. I promise it gets happier, you know me guys! I always lighten up my show. Also, the quote at the top is a bit from a song. "Poison" by Alice Cooper. Fucking awesome song. **

**What's your New Year's resolution, anyway? This was my first new story of the year. Mine is to be healthier, not procrastinate, and write down one thing every day that I'm grateful or proud of. **

**Sasuke: Like?**

**Amaya: Like having you to write violent love stories about. Oh! I heard a song… "Oops! I did it again." I thought of you when they sang the lyrics "I'm not that innocent." **

**Naruto: *Laughs* **

**Sasuke: Blondes are incredibly idiotic. **

**Amaya: I'm a red right now. **

**Sasuke: And you make redheads look stupid. **

**Amaya: Look Sasuke, I found this whip. Wonder what happens with it? **


	3. It's Taking Away All My Humanity

Sasuke sat in the corner of that same, freezing cold room. He felt like a trapped animal, like he had been stripped completely of his pride and independence. And that was exactly what Deidara had wanted to do to him. He swallowed dryly, desperately wishing he had something to eat or drink. His body felt like it was collapsing on itself, he was so weak and starving. It was a different kind of hunger though, one that he didn't understand. It felt almost primal, like he was some sort of a carnivorous monstrosity. Ever since the ill-fated day when Deidara had hunted him down like he was nothing more than a mere rabbit and changed him into this demonic, bloodthirsty being, he had felt like everything was _wrong_. Nothing was the same, and he knew it never would be again.

He wrapped his arms around himself and rocked back and forth slowly, trying to keep his mind busy and away from the dark path it kept trying to turn onto. His brain kept trying to give him "what if" scenarios, like what if he had never left home that night? What if he had never left home ever, and simply stayed in his home village?

_No._

He would be dead if he had stayed with his family, his father had obviously had no qualms with putting his children in the hospital, and so what would the problem be with killing them? And as he focused on that single thought, he wondered what would happen to him here, and whether or not death would have actually been better. He jolted like a skittish dog when the door was thrown open once more, he couldn't explain this irrational terror he felt for the blonde; but he did know that Deidara wanted nothing but to hurt him. To hear him scream, to watch him bleed, and to tear absolutely everything away from him.

A cruel laugh left the Vampire's mouth as he stared down at the raven haired teenager, his eyes holding a sadistic glint as he noticed that Sasuke would not look up at him. "What's the matter Sasuke, are you afraid of me, hm?" He taunted, kicking the Uchiha hard in the stomach and smirking at the suppressed gasp of pain. "Why don't you stand up and fight me?" He knelt down beside him and grabbed his chin in a harsh grip, forcing Sasuke to look up at him. Sasuke waited for some other burst of pain to come forth from Deidara, even after only a short week he was well aware that the blonde liked to inflict pain both physically and mentally. "Are you hungry, hm?" Sasuke's body tensed at the sultry tone of Deidara's voice, of course he was hungry, he was downright starving! But he was far too scared to ask for anything to eat, because it was common sense knowing what Vampires fed on.

Deidara's palm connected to Sasuke's cheek, the strike echoing in the stone room. "Answer me when I ask you a question, you filthy slut." He spat at the younger Vampire. Sasuke looked up with his now frighteningly crimson glare, shaking his head no. The blonde smirked, Sasuke had no idea what it meant to be a Vampire. It would tear him apart to learn that he would have to kill to stay alive.

And, as a newborn vampire he would have much less control. He chuckled at that thought, wondering just who would be more horrified; Sasuke, or the man that he was about to kill. The teenager watched as Deidara left the room, desperately hoping that he would be leaving him alone. Although at his age, he should know hope was only a lie. The blonde came back a few minutes later with a struggling, middle-aged man in his hold. Sasuke shivered so violently that he ended up throwing himself forward and had to catch himself on his hands, a wretched feeling spread through him like a toxin, a hunger. Hunger so violently desperate to feed that it would do anything and kill anything to be satiated.

Deidara smirked cruelly at the young Vampire as he tried to keep himself in control, he threw the man in front of Sasuke as if he were nothing more than a piece of meat. And, the more Sasuke's instincts grew out of his control, the more the man only seemed to be; a piece of meat, nothing more and nothing less. He was food. His hands covered his ears as if trying to tell his inner demons to shut up, to leave him alone. But everything inside of him knew that he was no longer human, and these horrible instincts and the horrible thing he was about to do was as far from human as anyone could ever get. As soon as the man looked up and their eyes met, everything was lost between him and any sense of mercy he might've had. He lunged forward, slamming the now screaming brunette into the floor and tearing into his throat.

Sasuke's heart began to beat rapidly as blood poured into his mouth from the man's wound, growling deep in his chest as energy and life pulsed through him. He connected to the poor human's emotions, feeling his terror and shock as his life was taken by this animal he had become. He only pulled back when there was no more blood to drain from this now cold body, he panted hard for air as he stared at the mangled human, feeling like he was staring at one of his own nightmares. He couldn't have done this, there was no way that he had done this to this poor man… He had felt no regret, no shame. Only primal, desperate blood lust.

Deidara mockingly clapped, a malevolent smirk on his face as he overlooked the bloody and horrified teenager. Sasuke opened his mouth, so many hateful things burning on his lips, but he chose to ask the question that had been swirling in his mind ever since he had woken up in this godforsaken hellhole. "Why?" His voice was a shameful hollow of what it used to be, it was raspy and broken. And although that was exactly how he felt, his eyes still had that prideful and unbreakable glint to them. The blonde gave an almost bored sigh as he circled around Sasuke, shaking his head slowly as though he were disappointed. "You need to learn to be more specific, Sasuke. Why what? Why did I bring you here, why did I turn you into this immortal creature," he roughly took his chin and forced him to look up at him. "Or why did you brutally kill this innocent person, hm?"

The raven jerked his chin away and buried his face into his hands as if to hide from the world. He had, hadn't he? He had killed a perfectly innocent man for absolutely no reason other than his own lack of self-restraint, he had become a murderer. And what was worse, he couldn't feel any remorse for it. Not with the way his heart had started to beat, the way that stabbing pain of unusual starvation had finally left him. He felt more alive than he had in days, and perhaps his entire life. The world was so sharp, everything was in complete focus. Maybe this was what God felt like. He had immortality and unbelievable power at his hand.

And he had seen the price for it.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**Ah, I've been reading the reviews you sent me. I was thinking that it was similar to a succubus, I couldn't have been sure right then. Thank you! Also, since someone asked I do feel the need to tell you that I don't believe I will have Naruto make an appearance for maybe a couple more chapters. Because while this story is NaruSasu I just feel like I have a plot to develop before I have them meet each other. Even though I'm growing love-starved. And, like almost all of the reviewers say; this story is only going to continue to get darker, and Sasuke will continue to suffer. I noticed something really weird, when I use voice detection on this computer and on my phone "Sasuke" actually shows up as a real word and I can say and it will recognize it. I wonder why it doesn't develop any of the other names? Hm. **

**Amaya: Deidara gave me your message, I'm glad you like the story! Continue reviewing, wolfies!**

**Sasuke: Or actually go find something worth reading.**

**Amaya: Isn't it funny how he insults me when he knows it only makes it worse for him? **


	4. Brutality

_Something's wrong, shut the light._

_Heavy thoughts tonight,_

_And they aren't of snow white._

_Dreams of war._

_Dreams of lies._

_Dreams of dragon's fire._

_And of things that will bite._

* * *

Sasuke stared into a mirror. He wasn't quite sure what he was looking at, but it looked like him, in a way. But it wasn't him, because it had fangs and glowing red eyes with black marks inside them, like dirt. They were dirty, sinful eyes that he didn't want to look through.

"Hello pet, hm." A mockingly amused voice said behind him. He watched as a blonde figure appeared in the mirror. He had fangs too. He dug his sharp nails into his palm, not flinching when he drew blood. It was one thought he couldn't stand; that he was the same thing his rapist was.

Deidara grabbed him by the hair and forcefully dragged him across the floor. Was he not good enough to even stand anymore? He growled hatefully at the older Vampire, rage shining in those unholy red eyes. He was angry, but more than that, he was terrified; it only angered him more so that anyone could have such power over him, to make him feel so utterly afraid.

He was pressed face down onto the cot he was forced to sleep on. He struggled desperately as Deidara tore his clothes from him, vain obscenities leaving his mouth. For some reason it began to eat at his temper that Deidara thought he could do anything he wanted to him, at any time. He wasn't a toy, he wasn't a living flesh-light, he was a person, with feelings and thoughts.

Deidara growled warningly at the raven, fisting his hair and shoving his face into the mattress. Sasuke was a Fledgling and was quite strong, but Deidara held experience over him and kept him pinned down. Sasuke snarled, vaguely surprising Deidara that he was so intrepid after the past month's events. He hissed when Sasuke's sharp nails dug into one of his wrists. The raven was getting more brazen and he was growing sick of it, he liked when they broke, when they cried and begged him.

"I'll teach you your place." Deidara hissed at the young Vampire. Sasuke's eyes narrowed in suspicion, gasping harshly when he was suddenly yanked from the bed by his wrist. He knew that the older Vampire could easily snap his arm, but that didn't seem to be his intention this time. Normally when Deidara grew angry he would simply beat him; abuse him until he couldn't even stand. Sasuke had been through things worse than any horror movie he had ever seen; he wasn't even sure a movie would go this far.

The raven glanced at his arms and legs, and he supposed he should be grateful that this Vampire blood ran through his veins, because every wound that the blonde inflicted upon him healed quickly. But instead of being grateful, he was angry. Because it seemed that now, it was like he was never being hurt; like every day he wasn't thrashed around like he was nothing more than a punching bag. His wounds healed faster than any human's ever could, but that didn't mean that he didn't feel the pain. The blonde barely ever gave food to him, he had not fed since that day he killed that man, and it was beginning to take a serious toll on his health.

He knew he wasn't human anymore, but now it was like he wasn't anything at all. He didn't mean anything, he was something to use and something to hurt, something to abuse and something to play with. He was carelessly dragged by his arm across the stone floor and out the door; Sasuke was mildly surprised at this because he hadn't been let out of that room since he'd been forcibly brought to this hellhole.

Another thing that he was not fully aware of, was that Deidara did not live alone. His clan consisted of nine other Vampires. Deidara was the only one of them to own a pet, and you could say that some of them were getting a little… Haphazardly curious about him; if there was an easy food source at home, they saw no need to go out and waste energy hunting. They could all sense Sasuke's presence in that dungeon, and it was all their power to not go down and simply take what they wanted. They all were strong in their own way and none of them were overly excited to start a fight with Deidara because of his power with explosives.

The blonde didn't like to share, but if Sasuke wanted to misbehave then he would make sure he was punished. He came upon another door, ignoring Sasuke's incessant struggling. He knocked, and as he waited for the door to open, a sadistic smirk crossed his face. Sasuke would wish he had never even _looked_ at Deidara wrong.

Sasuke tensed as the door was thrown open, a white haired man with fuchsia eyes glared down at the blonde as if he was angry he been disturbed. The raven could tell immediately that he was another Vampire, even if he hadn't been able to sense it; it was just the appearance that they gave off. Too perfect to be mortal.

"What the hell do you want, I'm fucking busy." He told Deidara, folding his arms over his chest. He then slid his gaze over to Sasuke, said raven felt his heart sink when a cruel glint sparked in his eyes. "So you finally decide to bring this bitch out of his cage?" He asked Deidara, a sharp bite in his voice. Sasuke tugged on his arm in a last-ditch attempt to try to get the blonde to let him go, even though he knew it was in vain. He hissed when Deidara yanked him forward, practically shoving him against the other Vampire's muscular chest.

"I want you to teach him a lesson, Hidan, hm." Deidara growled maliciously, turning on his heel and walking away; leaving Sasuke alone with what he knew was a very dangerous and obviously sadistic creature. He cringed when the older Vampire grabbed him by the throat and pushed him back into the room, making him land on his stomach with a loud thump. Sasuke slowly rose to his knees, shaking his head to clear the dizziness. His body tensed like at tight coil when he heard the door shut, a dark sound echoing throughout the stone room.

"Well, well, well. I guess I should consider myself fucking lucky that I finally get to taste Deidara's precious pet." He snickered cruelly as he stepped closer to Sasuke. The raven stood up with lightning fast reflexes, desperately looking around the room for way to escape. In his momentary panic he forgot that any other Vampire possessed the same speed. He was slammed back into the floor; a violent pain shot through his body when his head connected with the hard ground. "Get away from me!" He snarled at the older Vampire, as he tried to strike out.

Hidan took his arms and slammed them beside his head, easily pinning his wrists with one hand and using the other to take his chin in a rough grip. Sasuke knew his jaw would be bruised, even if it would only be for a few seconds. Then it would just disappear like it had never happened, leaving an invisible scar. His heart began to race in fear, fear because he knew exactly what was going to happen. He thrashed like a fish out of water with all of the power and energy he could force out of his starved and exhausted body as he felt Hidan tear at his clothes. Was this really his life now? To be nothing but a sex toy and a food source for these demons?

He screamed so loud that he gave himself a headache, he heard Hidan curse underneath his breath. "Damn you sure are screamer, aren't you?" He smirked cruelly at the young Vampire. He slammed his knee into Sasuke's stomach. The raven gasped hard for air as he felt a rib snap, any oxygen he had inside of him was gone and he couldn't seem to get it back. Hidan grabbed his hair and forced his head down, slamming it into the stone-cold floor. A loud crack echoed through the room, though Sasuke could barely hear it to the dizziness and harsh ringing in his ears. He still gasped for air as he clutched at his stomach, trying desperately to get enough air, but like always, his body wanted to refuse it; like it was a poison.

He cried out loudly as a fierce burning pain shot up his arm and down his back. He tried to move it, his terror and panic rising inside of him as he realized Hidan had broken it. He was so focused on the pain that he didn't notice the white haired Vampire move to the other side, he screamed again when he felt the same pain overtake his left arm; how could he do anything to protect or keep himself alive with two broken arms?

That was exactly the thing, they didn't want him to.

He felt tears dripping down his cheeks, but he couldn't bring himself to care about the weakness or pathetic show of emotion. Everything hurt too much and he was so, so afraid. He always thought that he would be would able to pull himself together and remain brave should something horrible ever happen to him, but now that he was in the position where he was being tortured and abused every day by demons much stronger and more powerful than he was, he knew that bravery was nothing but an absolute lie.

He heard Hidan chuckle above him, he was almost delirious with the pain coursing through his body; he had been through so much trauma throughout the past month that his body was struggling to cope with having both of its arms broken. He could barely pay attention when he finally felt the last shreds of his clothes torn away from his mistreated figure.

He was panting for air when he felt Hidan lift one of his legs onto his shoulder. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, he tried to get his vision to focus when he heard the older Vampire chuckle. "Fucking pathetic little bitch, you didn't even fight." Hidan hissed against Sasuke's throat, with a powerful thrust he was inside of Sasuke. The raven cried out harshly as his body tore and bled around the forced intrusion.

"Stop!" He pleaded, his voice a desperate cry for mercy. Mercy was a word no one understood. "Fuck, you're tight for a slut." Hidan hissed out, his eyes shut in pleasure as he began thrusting hard in and out of Sasuke's body, not caring that Sasuke was bleeding. The raven was unable to do anything, with his means of fighting taken away he could do nothing but lay there like a broken doll. Tears slid like rivers down his face as the excruciating pain spread throughout his body like a storm.

It sickened him to know how much pleasure Hidan got from this. He whimpered when the zealot dug his nails into his pale hips to thrust faster. He wanted his body to give out, but it never did. He kept living through whatever agony and neglect that was forced upon him. His body was too strong to die, and too weak to fight.

Hidan slammed into the abused teenager for another twenty minutes before he came deep into him, making Sasuke cringe in disgust. Hidan smirked as he withdrew, biting Sasuke's neck hard and lapping up the blood that he drew. The raven convulsed in pain, trembling violently. "Thanks for the fuck." Hidan mocked, getting up. He kicked Sasuke as he turned and exited the room. The Uchiha could barely create a coherent thought through the pain knifing through him, he was unsure how long he laid there but he vaguely wondered if this meant they were done with him and were simply leaving him to die.

Another Vampire had recently arrived home, he had passed a bloody and smirking Hidan and had guessed he had finished sacrificing some poor soul to his faux God. He sighed, his silver ringed eyes glowing in the dark halls. He shuddered when he caught the scent of fresh blood, but something wasn't right; this was a Vampire's blood. He cautiously stepped inside Hidan's room, his eyes softened in pain. He knew this boy was Deidara's new slave, but he hadn't expected him to be so young. He couldn't be more than sixteen or seventeen years old. He was barely moving, aside from the ragged breathing.

He stepped closer, careful not to startle the Fledgling. Sasuke flinched when a figure knelt beside him, turning his face away. He was too exhausted to even beg the Vampire not to hurt him. His eyes glistened in pain and fright, making the elder sigh softly. "Ssh little one, I will not harm you. My name is Pein." He soothed softly. He mentally was calling for another clan member, a female named Konan, she had the capability to heal. Sasuke was so used to being strong and independent, but now it was like he was a young child that needed everyone to care for him.

A female with blue hair styled in a bun silently walked into the room. Her expression was one of sympathy and empathy. Females were not easily respected in certain clans, and definitely not this one. She was used as Sasuke was, no matter how she tried to fight. She covered her mouth with her hand; she had seen awful things in her years, but it never got easier. He was so young, and he looked so broken. No one should ever go through this.

"Konan?" Pein murmured her name, bringing her forward to kneel beside Sasuke. "I will heal your wounds." She said in a soothing, almost melodic voice. She concentrated on her energy, allowing it to flow through her hands; she placed her palms on Sasuke's chest and stomach, the energy spreading throughout him. He gasped in shock at the foreign feeling as his bones and muscles mended back together, eradicating the throbbing pain. His eyelids fluttered when she pulled away, having completed the healing process. Konan pursed her lips when Sasuke's breathing finally slowed, his body falling into a calm state as his mind entered sleep.

She glanced up at Pein, her amber eyes a mix of sorrow and bitterness. The older Vampire could do nothing to help Sasuke, and Konan knew it. Their clan was too strong; The Akatsuki were a clan of several Vampires ranging in age and power. The only thing they held in common was that they were all once rogue. Their leader had hunted them each down based on the strengths and talents they possessed, and asked them to become part of his clan. They had no real place to call home and no one to call family; they had no reason to refuse.

Pein and Konan both were the exception to this, they had been friends for a long time. Since childhood, and when the chance arose to have something even remotely similar to a home, they did not turn it down. You were safer, if you were part of a clan. But, they soon grew wary when they realized what cruelty these Vampires were capable of; and even enjoyed doing. Sadism was a disease that spread throughout them quickly.

Pein shook his head at Konan, lifting the smaller Vampire up and carrying him back down to Deidara's room. "You can't just take him back, Deidara is still angry!" Konan whispered hastily, wanting Sasuke to rest. Pein gave her a solemn look. "If he's found in either of our rooms, he will be punished along with one of us. Hidan will come back and will only hurt him again, you know it is best to just take him back… It's the only place he has now." Pein said in a patient, empathetic tone. Konan looked away then, letting Pein take Sasuke back downstairs to his room. He walked inside and laid the teenager on the small cot, turning around to glare straight into those sharp, blue eyes. "Ah, thanks for returning my pet, hm."

A slow, malicious smirk spread across his lips.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**First off, in the roleplay this was based off of, Pein and Konan were not cruel. I'm slightly following the story line but I doubt I will make it completely the same. CrystalDarkSamus played Itachi, and there was just a lot of stuff that might be difficult to follow. Again, go look at her profile as she is an amazing writer. She's talented at tugging at your heartstrings. Also, this story is really only half AU. As you can see…**

**Fledgling means newborn Vampire. I've been studying Vampires. It goes along with my future interest in work. **

**Next chapter may take time, as things around my house have suddenly been thrown into a storm and I will have much less time to write. I apologize. I am currently writing at a hotel that provides no internet (yes I'm serious. Some things had to be done so the family and I packed out. I'll upload this when possible. **


	5. Fear

"Why can't you leave him alone, you've tortured the child enough." Pein hissed venomously. Deidara arched a brow, standing up and moving close to the older Vampire. "Would you rather I take your beloved whore, instead?" He said in a whisper, eyes sparking in malevolence. Pein snarled, shoving the blonde back hard. "Mind your place. It's a shame you are incapable of courting someone into your bed willingly." He said, leaving the room before he got Konan or Sasuke into deeper trouble.

Deidara sneered after him, turning when Sasuke moved, rustling the blanket as he weakly pushed himself up. The raven swallowed, licking his dry lips as he moved into a sitting position, holding his forehead. He felt a heavy pressure inside of him, a mix of bitter emotions. Hatred, anger, sorrow, fear… Even loneliness. He didn't understand the torrential cauldron of emotions boiling within him, he had tried to lock those inside his heart and forget they existed.

He gasped when a shadow loomed over him, quickly looking up; onyx met sapphire in a clash between cruelty and fear. Really, what was fear? Sasuke was taught fear was only born when you didn't understand or know about something, like the saying; "children fear the dark, because they don't know what lurks in its depths." But Sasuke knew very well what Deidara could and would do; this was a burning fear that only intensified the more he knew about it.

"Have fun with Hidan, hm?" Deidara hissed, fisting Sasuke's hair and tossing him off the bed and onto the ground. Sasuke withheld his gasp, knowing any sound only fuelled the blonde. Deidara kicked him in the abdomen to turn him onto his back, his insane expression of twisted amusement furthering the growing panic Sasuke felt blooming. "Maybe you'll learn to shut up for once in your miserable life." Deidara spat at him, taking Sasuke's hair in his hand again and dragging him across the floor. Sasuke clutched at the blonde's arm, trying to pull himself away.

Deidara snarled at him, shoving him onto his stomach. Sasuke, like every other time, thought about fighting or running; but each time resulted in another vindictive beating that made none of the attempts worth it. He was trapped, he was caged by each Vampire here and chained to Deidara as his mate. He had no chance to escape him. The blonde was forcibly linked to his body and mind, he owned Sasuke, he was his slave, his property.

The raven grunted when his arms were jerked up and chained above his head, he attempted to tug them down but the bonds wouldn't break. He let his head hang down, too tired to watch Deidara. He was exhausted, the malnutrition and abuse causing a state of near delirium. He could process things, but he had no energy to care or think it through. He focused on hearing, shivering at the sound of something uncoiling. He realized what it was the second it made contact with his flesh.

"Ah!" A sharp cry of pain and surprise echoed off the walls. Deidara chuckled, pulling the whip back and snapping it forward again. Sasuke grit his teeth hard enough to cause an ache, trying not to cry out each time the leather whip struck his bare back. He trembled in pain as blood slid down his back and sides, his breathing shallow as he made an effort to remain silent and not give the blonde what he wanted.

"Come on, it's better when you make noise, hm." Deidara said, snapping the whip with as much force as he could.

It connected on Sasuke's seal, making him scream as an acidic, burning sensation shot through him. Deidara chuckled, dropping the weapon to the ground. He circled Sasuke almost predatorily, unchaining his arms so they could fall to his sides. He grabbed the raven's hair and forced his head to the side, slowly licking down one of the slash wounds on his neck and shoulder. The teenager flinched, wincing at the sting as the older Vampire lapped the blood off.

Deidara took him by surprise when he sank his fangs into his throat, bringing forth a scream. It wasn't that it hurt, though it was uncomfortable and it was a frighteningly unfamiliar feeling to have your life force drained from you. He pushed at the blonde, only succeeding in having Deidara dig his nails into his hips. This always triggered the memories of the bad nights.

Sasuke collapsed onto his injured back when Deidara finished, cringing in pain. The bomber smirked at him, turning on his heel and leaving the room. "Clean yourself up." He told the young Vampire, locking the door behind him. Sasuke's heavy breathing was the only sound as he lay like a broken doll on the ground, his body protesting against movement. He tried to patiently wait the few hours it took to replenish his blood, the lightheaded feeling dwindling down to minor dizziness. He forced himself up, gasping in pain; the blood from his wounds making it painful to pull up from the floor.

He felt like a walking corpse as he showered off and went back to the room. He dressed, the pants being a size or two larger than he was, but they still fit. He wasn't eager to put a shirt on, as the wounds hadn't healed completely and still stung. He may have healed faster than humans did, but not at the speed that would have made a difference to him. He sighed shakily as he finished dressing and pulled the cloak tightly around him to ward off the chill. He had been here long enough to be allowed past the hideout's walls. There were gates in place to keep him from straying far, or at least that's what their Clan's Leader told him when he had been given the privilege to go outside. Something about their territory laws and their power creating barriers for him.

His friends were the shadows as he crept agilely through the corridors and out into the winter night. He looked up to the moon, her light illuminating the darkness around him and casting a gleam off of his obsidian hair. His eyes were crimson, creating a frightening appearance in the darkness. He didn't know what the reason was for his coming out here, but he wished for a moment of solitude. A moment where he was himself, someone with a name and feelings and freedom. When he went back, he was nothing, and he had nothing. He shuddered at the thoughts, looking down at the ground. He wondered if he could break free, right then. Just run. Run as far as he could, to stop breathing and not slow down until he reached the ends of this earth.

You're a stupid child, thinking of such chimerical wishes. He reprimanded himself, bitterly smiling at the whimsical ideas of liberty. He had wandered quite a ways from the hideout, having drifted into his daydream. He couldn't even see it, it was shrouded by the forest and her darkness. He turned forward and felt every muscle in his body stiffen like a band pulled back tightly. He smelled something, he sensed someone else was close to him. He shivered when an overwhelming presence shadowed over him, but it was different than his own Clan's. It was strong, but didn't promise danger. His ruby eyes shifted upwards, a barely audible gasp leaving his lips as they met with an intense blue gaze.

He took a step back, but that was the limited amount of movement his body wanted to allow him. The Vampire before him had shaggy blonde hair, he was only a couple of inches taller than Sasuke was but he was larger in build. He was muscular, his skin a tan color. Sasuke was a Fledgling, of course, but even he could sense the power from another of his kind. This man wasn't ordinary. He held his gaze then, put off by the expression. Sasuke was ready for the blonde to attack him, but the other male didn't seem to have any intention of that, to his surprise. He looked curious, his eyes calm and almost promising he wasn't there to endanger him.

Sasuke tensed when the Vampire took a step closer, his eyes focused on his slightest move. He had every reason to be suspicious and worried; no one cared if he died, so he doubted anyone would help him. This fight would be on his own and he didn't know anything about fighting, not with the power he'd seen some other kindred wield. The blonde paused, sensing the raven's distress. He leaned back in a relaxed posture, folding his arms. He looked over Sasuke, eyes narrowing at his strange eyes. It was obvious he had an ocular power, one of his own Clan members did as well. "What's your name?" He asked the young Vampire. Sasuke's eyes narrowed in thought, pondering as to whether or not he should speak to him. He didn't see harm in it, since a name wouldn't matter in the long run, right?

"Sasuke." He replied shortly, his black hair moving with the wind. He scrutinized the blonde, still tempted to run, but he felt inclined to stay. "Mine's Naruto." The blonde said with a bright smile. Sasuke blinked at the cheerful gesture. "Why are you here?" He asked then, suddenly realizing that he had to have gotten past the barriers and anyone guarding the territory. He didn't want him to get hurt if he was discovered, he didn't want to see someone else die. Naruto chuckled, to his mild annoyance. "I was hunting. The Akatsuki don't guard their territory well and I occasionally take advantage to keep track of them." He then looked the raven up and down with knitted brows. "I haven't met you before, when did you become part of their Clan?" He asked. Sasuke looked to the side.

"I'm not." He said, shaking his head. He wasn't a member, he was a pet. He was reminded of that. Naruto narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to Sasuke, much to his discomfort. "Are you a Drudge? What have they done to you?" He asked, sounding angry. Sasuke grit his teeth, looking down at the ground. "Nothing. I don't know who you speak of, I'm trying to pass through without trouble. Leave before someone else comes." He hissed. He wasn't telling the story to this stranger. He was one of them. He gasped when Naruto appeared in front of him, not taking into account how fast Vampires could move. He started to turn around and run back, but Naruto caged him against a tree, placing both of his arms on it and trapping Sasuke. "Tell me the real reason you're here." The blonde said, undeterred by Sasuke's icy glare.

"I don't trust you. You're the same as them!" Sasuke growled lowly, struggling futilely against Naruto. The blonde Vampire was strong, above his own level. Naruto shook his head, his eyes softening. "You do know them. I'm not. They're different than my Clan. They are bound by no law or morality. We don't kill unless we must." He said, searching Sasuke's expression. He shivered at the storm of emotions raging within the raven. Sasuke was tense, his eyes cold and hateful. "Don't lie to me. You die if you don't." His expression softened, wincing slightly as his back pressed against the tree, the wounds flaring in pain. Naruto pursed his lips, eyes narrowing. "Are you hurt? What happened to you, Sasuke? Please tell me." He said, pulling back slightly. Sasuke's eyes shot up to glare at him, paranoia and mistrust in them. "A lot. Why are you so curious, you can't do anything." Sasuke said. He knew he was bound to Deidara. He was trapped to this destiny. Naruto already suspected, he needed to get away before he let something else slip.

Naruto caught him off guard by spinning him around and pulling his shirt up. He snarled angrily, trying to fight him off. Naruto cringed at the jagged marks marring the pale flesh. They were from a whip, he recognized the wounds. "Who did this to you? Talk to me, it won't hurt you to talk." He murmured, raising his hand. A glow emitted from him as he placed it gently on Sasuke's back. The raven gasped when a familiar feeling spread through him, the wounds on his skin healing. Naruto stepped back when he finished healing his injuries, smiling softly when Sasuke slowly turned around, not making a move to run away. "Will you talk to me now?" He asked, tilting his head. Sasuke pressed his lips together, but he nodded slowly, making Naruto's smile broaden. "Good. How long have you been here, did someone forcibly turn you?" He asked, hoping he was wrong.

"About six months. I was walking home and someone... Attacked me." He got a pained look as if the memory hurt. Naruto took a step back, disgust flashing through his eyes and causing Sasuke to bitterly look away. "He raped me and turned me into... Into this." He spat the word as if it burned his lips. Naruto swallowed dryly. Certain species received energy from emotions along with blood; sexual connections often gave them the emotional feed they needed. Rape wasn't unheard of. "Who?" He asked, reaching out for Sasuke, his eyes deepened with sorrow when the raven flinched. Every night must have been a living hell for the young Vampire.

Sasuke hesitated, looking over his shoulder. "I don't know the man, I was left to die by him. I must go, I've been out too long." He shook his head. He didn't want to get into more trouble with any of them, this lie should have been believable. Naruto reached out to stop him, but Sasuke was gone in a flash. He blinked, mouth falling open in surprise at how fast the raven was. He looked down the path.

He felt connected to him. A strange bond that was the reason he'd been attracted to him and found him in the forest. He had lied to him, he hadn't been hunting on these grounds. He had caught Sasuke's scent and tracked him. He felt the need to help him. The strong pull he felt towards him was odd, unique. He wanted to see him again.

"I'll see you again...Sasuke."

The moon guarded this promise.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**GUYS, LISTEN; I CHANGED THIS CHAPTER. I HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA THAT I LIKED BETTER, AND WENT BACK TO MAKE IT WORK.**

**I'm very young and going through an identity crisis that makes me not to want to anything in life because I'm confused and screwed up but no one lets me do that so here take this damn chapter.**

**CrystalDarkSamus gave me Naruto's general idea when she wrote for him. Also, we had made Kakuzu the clan leader. Because we wanted to. The way we were writing, Pein didn't really fit the role, so she suggested Kakuzu. Madara honestly will probably show up somewhere, I'm just not sure.**

**I have to apologize if this isn't really interesting, we never talked about how Naruto and Sasuke met, just that they had at some point.**

***When I said "seal" that refers to the mark left by the Vampire that has bitten you/is bound to you. As in, your mate.**

***Territory laws are just where Clans are allowed to tread. Naruto's little pack of merry Vampires happens to be quite large, and he claims a quite large part of land to live and hunt on.**

***"Bad nights" is when Sasuke is referring to Deidara raping him.**

***Drudge is -rough translation- a human turned into a Vampire and forced to be their slave.**


	6. Curiosity

Sasuke swallowed his nerves as he walked back inside the base, his eyes flitting around as if trying to find the monster that lurked in the shadows. His heart was racing, but it wasn't from running; that blonde Vampire had made his heartbeat and adrenaline shoot up. He took a deep breath and exhaled it in a sigh, running a hand through his hair. Sasuke felt pulled towards the other man, a strange desire for connection that he wasn't sure he wanted to explore. He walked back into his chamber, shaking his head. He would never meet the blonde again, it was a chance meeting… That left him curious and wanting more. He shivered, letting the cloak drop and fall to the ground. He took his shirt off, standing in front of the mirror to inspect the wounds. He bit his lip, his skin was clear from any marks, the Vampire really had healed him. Why?

He swallowed hard when Deidara walked inside. The blonde cast a critical eye over him. "Put some clothes on, no one wants to see your worthless body." He sneered. Sasuke sighed, accustomed to Deidara's sharp tongue. Too pale, too slender, too much of a bitch to even be called male. His body didn't meet the blonde's standards, but he damn sure used him enough didn't he? Sasuke broke off his bitter thoughts when Deidara stood before him. "I have to go somewhere tonight, you're coming with me." He said. Sasuke blinked, mildly confused.

"Our Leader is meeting with another Clan's Leader, you're coming so I can keep an eye on you. Who knows how boring this will be, hm?" Deidara mocked. Sasuke knew their Leader's name, he'd heard Deidara call him Kakuzu. Supposedly Deidara was the Beta and would take over if Kakuzu was gone. Deidara took him by the arm and dragged him out the door. Sasuke knew better than to fight him, but his crimson eyes narrowed in hatred as he was forced to walk with him. He didn't want to go, he would be passed around as a food source and he knew it. Deidara would let anyone who wanted to do whatever they wanted with him, and he couldn't say no.

How long had he been here? He couldn't remember. Less than half a year, at least. He remembered actions, but not the times. He recalled the night he was taken, the nights he suffered through The Change. The awful night he had killed a human like a bloodthirsty monster. He knew each day had been dragged out by Deidara treating him like either a sex slave or a punching bag. He was a pet, used to please other Vampires.

He was nothing.

* * *

**(Naruto)**

Naruto had been pacing for at least an hour, his mind heavy with thoughts. He had been unable to fully remove the raven haired, young Vampire from his mind, not that he wanted to. He kept thinking about him, as if trying to call him back. He felt like he'd taken a drug and was now desperate for more. Something in his dark eyes, his scent, his personality; it left him wanting to know the raven.

His thoughts were now also worn down with the meeting the Akatsuki had called. Kakuzu had said he wanted to speak about a few matters. It wasn't rare for Clans to meet, but he knew The Akatsuki well enough to be suspicious of their Leader's intentions. All he'd said was that he wished to discuss territory laws.

Their ways were different from each other. The Akatsuki were known for cruelty, they killed humans as though it were a game. People grew frightened, worried, even suspicious at times that animals were coming into the cities. It endangered their food sources.

The only time he allowed his Clan to kill was if it was in self-defense or protecting another. Murderers and thieves weren't rare in these parts. Vampires used them to train Fledglings. Newborn Vampires couldn't control their thirst, once they start to feed they don't know when to stop and would kill the person; so they were taken to drink from criminals that roamed free.

"If you don't relax, you're going to dig a trench in the floor." A bored voice drawled. He glanced at his friend with narrowed eyes. "Shikamaru, relaxing is the last thing any of us will be doing until they leave. They set everyone on edge." He ran a hand through his hair. The Akatsuki were twisted, they even killed their own kind. He was aware that they would take other Vampires as their food sources and slaves. They had no right or wrong, it was only their wants and needs.

"Everyone has heard your lecture, they are prepared. No one will be hurt, Kakuzu knows better than to get on your bad side. You lead a much larger clan than he does." Shikamaru said, stretching his arms above his head. Naruto shook his head. They were powerful, but so were The Akatsuki. Granted, only Kakuzu and two other Vampires of his clan would be coming, but they were still enemies on his territory. He was wound tighter than a whip, and he had to be careful when he snapped.

"Everyone is to stay on guard, don't stray off alone. I don't trust any of them." He said, his azure eyes stormy. He had a strange feeling in his heart, as if something was wrong. He glanced outside as the sun set, casting shadows over the forest.

If something was wrong, he was about to find out what.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**WARNING: I CHANGED THE LAST CHAPTER, NARUTO AND SASUKE MET. That's why this chapter is different. The meeting still happens, just next chapter. *Rubs temples***

**Well, have any of you gotten reviews on really old stories that you started one, two years ago? Where it's been so long that your style has changed and you've developed into a writer? I still do occasionally and it's to the point I want to delete all of my old stories, if so many people hadn't liked them for whatever reason. I hate when stories I liked were taken down, and my justification for that is "It doesn't matter if you didn't think it was the best, WE loved it!" So I won't contradict myself. But, I laugh reading certain comments, knowing how much I've changed. Everyone starts off somewhere, I want all of you to know that! Even if you get flames or harsh criticism, you keep writing if you like it. People will assist you, and you can do great things. Trust me. I never thought so many people would enjoy what I do, and I'm so glad they do. It's a dream to write, and I'm lucky people like it. **


	7. Attachment

Sasuke kept his head down as he kept pace with Deidara, the dark ground of the forest disappearing beneath him. "Little bitch is fast, at least." Deidara muttered. His partner, Sasori, and Kakuzu were the only others going. The raven still wasn't sure where it was. His paranoia had been growing since they left. What if they had gotten tired of him and were going to kill him? Surely all three of them wouldn't need to have come if it were that, though. He swallowed his anxiety when Deidara came to a stop, he lifted his head to look around his surroundings. It was in the heart of the forest, near an inky colored lake. He looked up at the looming, ominous looking house. It looked huge, he wondered how big this Clan was. Deidara took his chin in a rough grip to make him look up, he kept an apathetic expression on his face, it made it easier to keep Deidara locked out from his mind. "Know your place, slut." He hissed, Sasuke noticed it had been a while since anyone had said his real name. "Don't look at anyone here, unless you plan to get on your knees, hm." He sneered.

Sasuke had been told by Kakuzu that as he was a slave, if Deidara allowed it, anyone could do with him what they pleased. The raven swallowed, nodding. He would try to avoid anyone, the last he needed was anyone else adding to his pain. Deidara smirked and let him go. Sasuke sighed inaudibly, looking over at the lake. It looked beautiful, it mirrored the night's obsidian color and the moon cast a shine over its surface. He'd overheard Deidara say this place was called "Mizuumi Inku," Lake of Ink. The entire forest seemed almost enchanted in a way. He shivered when an overwhelming presence suddenly shadowed over him, but it was different than his own Clan's. It was strong, but didn't promise danger; he felt a bit of déjà vu. His eyes shifted up, freezing in utter disbelief. He felt his breath catch at the shock, but he tried to keep his expression clear as he caught the gaze of the mysterious stranger he'd met the other night. Would he tell the others of their encounter? Sasuke immediately looked away, praying Naruto wouldn't say anything. He would be in a world of trouble and lose privilege of the few minutes of freedom he could get.

Naruto's eyes widened when he saw the young Vampire that had been haunting his thoughts since their encounter a few nights back. He knew their eyes only met for a second, but it felt like they'd stared each other down for hours. He narrowed his eyes when Sasuke turned away nervously. He had been right, the raven was a Drudge and he was slave to the Akatsuki. No wonder he'd been as timid as he was. He wiped the shock and slight traces of anger clear from his expression and turned to meet Kakuzu's gaze. Once upon a time, he'd been afraid of the Akatsuki and their power. He'd been a kid then however, now he was on the same power level and led a Clan much larger than theirs. They could hold their own.

"I see you still don't trust us entirely." Kakuzu said, glancing over the temporary hideout. Naruto internally scoffed, he had no reason to allow any member of an enemy Clan inside his true home and endanger the others. "I'm not interested in wasting time, let's discuss what it is you came to discuss." The blonde replied, stepping aside to let them inside. Deidara snickered, amused at the thought of Naruto's pathetic Clan being nervous of them. He took Sasuke's wrist and pulled him inside, causing Naruto to turn away to hide his glare. He hated the thought of Sasuke being used like a toy by this pathetic excuse of a Vampire.

Sasuke caught sight of Naruto's angered look, wondering what it meant. He was grateful Naruto hadn't mentioned anything about him to Deidara, he didn't want to know what the bomber would do if he found out Sasuke had been associating with an apparent enemy. He gasped when he was pushed onto the floor beside a chair, narrowly avoiding being shoved into the corner of a table. Deidara sat in the chair, smirking down at Sasuke as if hoping the raven would challenge him. He almost wanted to, he was humiliated that he was being degraded like this in front of anyone else, it was bad enough alone.

Naruto sat at the opposite side of the table, along with a red-headed male that had a small tattoo on his forehead, and a brunette with his hair tied up and who looked rather bored. "I understand you are interested in expanding your hunting grounds onto our territory." Naruto said, nothing like the bright and cheerful person Sasuke had met the other night. His eyes were cold and his tone was serious as he held Kakuzu's gaze, a feat he hadn't been able to do nor had he seen any other of the Akatsuki even try. The older Vampire remained impassive, though his eyes held irritation at being treated as an equal by the younger blonde. "Indeed. You have richer food sources, and my Clan is growing weary of having to travel far out to seek decent meals." He replied, earning a disapproving look from the redhead sitting beside Naruto.

"Understand our hesitation to allow this, seeing as I know your ways and know you would wipe out our sources within a short time period. I'm not looking to move my Clan away solely because your Clan cannot control its hunger." Naruto said icily, clearly not wavered by the threatening glare Deidara sent him. The redhead turned to stare the bomber down, the flare of anger sparking between them sent a shiver down Sasuke's spine. "I can keep order with my Clan, the same as they understand how to control themselves. Humans are something that will never diminish, seeing the rate they reproduce." Kakuzu said, his own tone turning hostile.

"That doesn't mean Vampires should lack self-control and kill every breathing thing they encounter." Sasuke grit his teeth at the reply that left Naruto's mouth. The brunette spoke up next, sighing as if it were too much trouble to talk. "The nearby towns are suspecting something is attacking people, they think it's wolves or something else leaving the forest for the scraps it gets in the city." He said, waving his hand in the air. "Since Naruto and Garra want to try to be polite, I'll be the blunt one. We don't want you or your blood-lustful harpies tearing apart our lands _or_ destroying our food supply." Deidara growled then, causing Sasuke to tense. "Don't talk down to us you sniveling fool. You're cowards, trying to protect humans. Don't play with your food." He said, his eyes flashing dangerously. Garra stood, locking Deidara in a stare down. "Don't take that tone where you are not superior. Learn your place." The redhead hissed. Deidara stepped forward as if planning to attack the younger Vampire, but Sasori pulled him back.

Kakuzu cleared his throat, having not looked away from Naruto. "I can control my Clan, I suggest you rethink your decision before we depart tomorrow." Naruto raised a brow, and Sasuke couldn't tell if he was surprised or amused at being threatened. "I will be thinking on it, but unlike you I care about my Clan and their opinions." He said, and Sasuke thought he saw Naruto glance at him, but he wasn't certain.

"You may venture around our home tonight, but we are guarding parts of our territory." Naruto said slowly, as if thoughtfully. "To prevent… _Accidents."_ He said the last word with hidden sarcasm, earning a glare from all three Akatsuki members, making Sasuke wonder if they'd used such an excuse. "I'll see to it they remain on their best behavior." Kakuzu returned the sardonic tone, and stood up along with the other members of the Akatsuki and Naruto's clan. Garra glanced at Sasuke, his eyes showing a hint of sympathy before he turned and left along with the brunette. Deidara pulled Sasuke off the floor none too gently, and the raven sensed his anger. He grit his teeth as he was all but dragged outside and roughly pushed against a tree.

"I see you're learning to be obedient, keep your head down and mouth shut. Though, I caught Naruto's glances towards you. Perhaps he'd like to taste you once?" Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, shuddering at Deidara's cruel smirk. "You'd probably like that, wouldn't you slut?" He hissed, slamming his fist into Sasuke's stomach. The Uchiha cringed, losing his breath at the sharp hit and falling to his knees. "I'm going to see if I can find something worthwhile to eat in this place." Deidara said, kicking Sasuke over and stepping over him, leaving into the vast trees.

Sasuke coughed, pushing himself up with one hand and holding his now bruised abdomen with his other. He tried to quiet his ragged panting for air, not making a move to stand as he didn't feel he could push himself up. He swallowed, cringing at the taste of blood still in his mouth. He had known it was stupid of him to hope that Deidara wouldn't be as malevolent while around others.

He tensed when a presence shocked his senses, knowing whoever it was had used the ungodly gift of speed Vampires held. He blinked in confusion when the stranger held a hand out to him, looking up and meeting those familiar sapphire eyes. Warm and concerned. Naruto's expression was sympathetic, as if this was nothing new to him. Sasuke took the blonde's hand, wincing slightly when he was lifted off the ground as if he were weightless. He stood shakily, licking his dry lips so he could speak. "Thank you." He said, his voice a bit rough from lack of use, he didn't talk often and his throat was becoming unused to his own voice.

Naruto concealed the anger coursing through him, wiping a speck of blood from the corner of Sasuke's mouth. He hated the meek way he spoke, the timidity of this young Vampire wasn't who he was and even Naruto could see that. He wanted to see what the raven was truly like. He felt unleashed rage and animosity towards the Akatsuki for trying to destroy Sasuke like this, the way they destroyed everything else in their sight without caring.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, noticing Sasuke was unsteady. Sasuke nodded, swallowing hard. He felt incredibly weak, he didn't know why. He'd been starved, but it had never been this bad, never this strong. Naruto tilted his head, noticing the way Sasuke's eyes dilated, his own eyes widened in shock. "How long has it been since you last fed?" He asked. Starving a Fledgling could end with catastrophic results, or inevitable termination. If Sasuke wasn't trying to kill everything in his sight, then he was close to dying… Or incredibly strong.

"Five… Five months." Sasuke said, feeling his legs start to give. He started to sink to the ground, surprised when Naruto caught him. He felt his heart pick up its pace a little when he placed one hand on Naruto's chest, the blonde holding his arms around his waist. "You need to eat something before your body gives out on you." Naruto said, their faces close with Sasuke resting against his chest. Sasuke started to say something, but he gasped when a familiar cold feeling encased his heart.

"I can't. I need to leave, I'm sorry." He pulled himself away and before Naruto could argue, he left. It was difficult to walk, but he felt better than he had a few minutes ago when he was close to fainting. He leaned against a wall, realizing he'd walked into what appeared to be a living room. Sasuke glared at the ground as if willing Hell to open its doors and finally take him, not knowing the cause for his sudden anger, but combined with the exhaustion and weariness he'd been feeling, it had hateful results.

He pressed his lips together when an arm grabbed his wrist, turning to meet a very cold gaze. He felt time slow then, pondering why Naruto's and Deidara's eyes were so different. Deidara's were a lighter color, icy and full of venom and sadism. Whereas Naruto's were deep, bright and warm, as if you could get lost in them. Sasuke broke out of the thoughts when Deidara's grip tightened, threatening to break his arm. He noticed Naruto step inside from the opposite side of the room through a different door, feeling the gazes that turned to them.

He tried to pull his arm back, determined not to say anything or anger Deidara; he didn't even know what was wrong with him then, it just seemed like if he was in range, the blonde was going to do something to make his life worse. Deidara pulled Sasuke forward and the raven closed his eyes to brace himself for the hit he already knew was coming, and was startled when someone spoke up. "Deidara, no matter what you do at your home, I don't appreciate you acting like a barbarian in ours." It was the redhead, Garra. Deidara hesitated then, but Sasuke knew it wasn't anything to be relieved about. An odious look darkened Deidara's eyes.

"Of course not, Garra." He said, his tone almost toxic with false innocence. He turned, meeting eyes with Naruto. The tension of such anger was almost audible, as if two swords had clashed. "Where are my manners? I've seen how you look at my little pet, what kind of guest am I if I don't give some sort of offering?" Sasuke felt his eyes narrow in confusion, gasping when Deidara jerked his arm, tossing him forward. The raven landed on his hands and knees, wincing slightly at the impact, he looked up. He swallowed hard when he was met with Naruto staring back at him, surprise, anger and something else that was hidden.

Naruto looked up at Deidara, eyes narrowing at the older blonde's smirk. He decided to take the given chance, his Clan would know better, Deidara wouldn't. But, Sasuke wouldn't either. He could handle that in a moment. He knelt and took Sasuke by the arm, startling the raven as his eyes widened and pulse quickened. "I suppose I can make do, it's been some time since I last ate." Naruto said with a glance at Deidara, keeping his voice steady and almost careless. Garra and Shikamaru cast him wary glances, knowing him well enough to understand what he was trying to do as he left the room.

Sasuke felt his heart begin to pound as Naruto picked him off the ground, pulling him down a hall. He didn't try to jerk away, he strongly doubted he could have. Naruto opened a door at the very end of one of the twisting corridors, pulling Sasuke inside and locking the door behind them. Sasuke pressed his back against one of the walls, his arms folded over his chest as if trying to use some sort of protection. He watched Naruto with calculating eyes as the blonde turned around. "Sasuke… You can relax, I'm not going to do anything. I only wanted Deidara to believe the lie." Naruto said softly, stepping towards Sasuke and offering a warm smile before continuing. "You need to let me help you, you're weakened."

Sasuke shook his head, unwilling to risk Deidara finding out about him receiving help, and he wasn't about to trust Naruto so easily. "Please? I promise I'm not going to hurt you." Naruto said, knowing the young Vampire had probably been through torture. The Akatsuki were cruel and sadism was in their blood. They were known for hurting their own kindred, for attacks against humans and Vampires alike. The older Vampire placed a hand on Sasuke's chin, tilting his head up to look at him. "I don't want to kill again." Sasuke said, taken aback by the heavy feeling lifted off his chest from admitting this. Naruto tilted his head, eyes taking on a thoughtful look. "What happened?" He asked, both confused by the unusual statement and pleased that he wasn't turning out like a member of Akatsuki. Sasuke swallowed, twisting his mouth to the side in bitter reverie.

"I hadn't fed since he'd turned me, he brought this… Man to the room I stayed in. I killed him. I didn't even feel like I knew what I was doing." He said slowly, feeling a twinge of shame and guilt. Naruto sighed, pulling Sasuke to sit on the bed. Sasuke looked up at Naruto's empathetic expression. "We've all killed someone before, that's what we are. Fledglings like you can't control their need and you overfeed." Naruto's eyes hardened then, making Sasuke feel a bit anxious. "That's why childe Vampires are taken to prisons or to hunt criminals. Rapists, murderers, thieves, people that need to be taken down to protect everyone else. They learn to curb their hunger and grow experienced."

Naruto sighed again, rubbing the back of his head. "The Akatsuki don't care who they kill. They don't care about anyone, not even each other. You need to feed, but I cannot leave my Clan alone with them or have someone catch you something to eat. The Akatsuki won't approve." Sasuke opened his mouth to protest against eating at all, pausing in question when Naruto pulled his jacket off, tilting his head to expose his throat. Sasuke shuddered, tensing when his senses locked solely on the blood pumping through Naruto's veins. "No, don't." Sasuke shook his head, horrified at the offer. The blonde chuckled softly. "You won't kill me, you need to survive. I promise it will be fine."

Sasuke glared, pursing his lips. Naruto pulled him close, forcing Sasuke's senses into overdrive. He felt the same daze he had when he'd first fed, his body saw only one purpose at that moment; survival. He clutched Naruto's shirt, his fangs sinking into the offered throat. The Uchiha's body convulsed as the crimson life returned his strength and energy. He didn't know how long or how much he fed, but when he pulled back he felt incredible, better than he had in months. He knew how to seal the wound so it would heal, pulling back. He felt guilty at the dazed look in Naruto's eyes.

The blonde shook his head as if clearing it, giving the familiar, bright smile to Sasuke as if reassuring him he was okay. "Don't look so worried, you didn't even take much. We have quicker blood regeneration than a human." He said, Sasuke found himself returning a small smile. It was then when he realized he was sitting in Naruto's lap, straddling him. He blushed, looking back up and meeting Naruto's eyes. He felt his breath catch as everything in the room seemed to fall still, he felt his heartbeats as they reverberated through him.

He felt a frighteningly strong emotion course through him, and he could feel Naruto's heart begin to beat faster as well. As if something was pulling them together. Sasuke knew very well this was dangerous, it could hurt him or even Naruto. He'd never wanted anything more in his life, this unbearable need to… To be with him. As if Naruto was an addiction and his _soul_ needed it. He knew he couldn't, he couldn't trust this easily, couldn't let himself get caught in childish crushes when Deidara held the threat of his life and possibly Naruto's over his head. He couldn't let himself fall for this.

Even when everything in him wanted to.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

"**Gettin' real tired of your shit, Amaya." I know, I keep changing the story. If it makes you less annoyed, this is the only time I've done this and it means I genuinely love this story enough to make it the best I can possibly give… So, chapter five was ONCE AGAIN modified. Naruto (suspected) but didn't know Sasuke was in the Akatsuki… **

**Fuck you, I've treated Sasuke like absolute shit and we both deserve this fluff. I wanted sweet and I've got it. Considering things will once again get fairly dark for a bit, use this to keep yourself above the angst. **

**Some of you reviewers are incredibly sweet. **

**Hm… Honestly, this might seem a little… Off. I apologize if it is, because I wasn't patient enough to settle into the state of mind I probably should have been in to write this. I already spoke with CrystalDarkSamus about being stuck on writing it because I'm working hard at keeping the character's in-character, since I've made changes to their personalities. Just… Eh. I kept them in line with how we wrote the roleplay. **

**Naruto: So deal with it. **


	8. He Bleeds Black

_I made a mistake. _

_What have I done? _

Sasuke's expression remained bereft of emotion; though his mind was warring with thoughts, barely allowing him to think clearly. He stood behind Deidara, the sun setting outside as they prepared to leave. Kakuzu exchanged a few hushed words with Naruto, leaving said blonde with a cold look in his eyes.

Kakuzu walked past the other three members of his coven, Sasori following after him. Deidara turned with a half smirk towards Naruto. "I hope my slut was to your satisfaction, yeah." Sasuke quickly glanced up at that, Naruto's eyes met his in a moment that needed no words. Sasuke felt like they had created a secret that could severely damage both of their clans.

_I'm property of the Akatsuki. If Deidara knew what Naruto had done last night, he would kill me._

Sasuke immediately averted his gaze to the ground as Deidara turned back, walking past him with that suffocating air of control. The raven followed without another glance back, refusing to acknowledge that he had any connection to Naruto. Last night had been a moment of unclearness on his part when he received the sustenance his mind and body required to function. Nothing more.

_How do you lie so easily to yourself? _

He remained enveloped in his own thoughts as he traveled with the others through the mazing pathways of the forest, almost seeming like nothing more than shadows. He vaguely heard Deidara say something, Sasori hummed in reply; he hazily hoped they weren't speaking about him.

As they returned to the base Kakuzu and Sasori faded to the darkness to occupy themselves with their own work. He had no other choice but to follow Deidara as the older Vampire cast him a callous look, his eyes colder than ice. Sasuke icily thought to himself that he had done nothing wrong; but that didn't matter to someone that was addicted to sadism.

Deidara shoved Sasuke inside the bedroom, the door closing behind him, the sound reminding Sasuke how much this room really was a prison. He looked up with wary question. Pain burned across his face when Deidara backhanded him, forcing him onto the ground. "You're really nothing but an open whore, aren't you, yeah? I had thought you to be more reserved, you're quite the liar." Sasuke braced himself, trying to think of what he could say without further angering Deidara.

"I don't know what you mean." He kept his voice void of emotion, lest Deidara use it against him. The bomber kicked Sasuke onto his back, a flash of silver setting a red flag off in the Uchiha's mind. Against his better judgment he brought his arms up to try to deflect the next attack, this earned him a deep gash on his left wrist. He grit his teeth together as ribbons of blood decorated his flesh. Deidara shoved his arms down, sliding the knife downwards and ripping open Sasuke's shirt.

_Not again. _

"No begging? You wanted that brat, didn't you, hm?" Deidara's words were a whisper against Sasuke's ear, as venomous as they were lying. As if Sasuke telling him the truth would make it easy. "I have no interest in him. How can I?" He asked, hoping to deter Deidara. As far as the elder knew, Sasuke had only met Naruto once, how could he have any feelings towards him? Deidara was roughly forcing Sasuke's pants off as he spoke.

"You didn't fight him. You take me for an idiot, I'll make you regret it." Sasuke was confused and rage was boiling inside of him. Deidara had _forced_ him to go with Naruto, yet he was angry Sasuke had gone? It was an excuse. It was vindictive.

His body was rigid as Deidara ran his hands along it, trailing it across his chest and stomach. "I wonder if you could still draw his attention if you were scarred, hm?" Sasuke shut his eyes, forcing his breathing to remain slow.

He couldn't lose control now. It only encouraged Deidara. Sasuke swallowed dryly as teasingly soothing lips grazed his pulse. Not a second later the façade broke, sharp teeth bit into his shoulder and pain burst through his body like an explosion. He screamed, unable to repress the sound as it echoed off the walls.

Deidara's nails dug into Sasuke's hips as he groaned in sick pleasure, thrusting forward in a brutal pace, blood falling to the ground beneath them as he defiled Sasuke and forced him to adjust. The teenager dug his nails into his palms, breath coming in short gasps as obsidian eyes stared emptily upwards.

Deidara, in the desire to hear Sasuke scream, thrust harder and scratched bloody lines down Sasuke's torso. Sasuke bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood to silence himself, his refusal to let Deidara win bringing his body pain; but it gave his mind victory. As small as it was, it gave him the satisfaction to know he was _not_ broken. Deidara couldn't have all of him. The blonde growled against his neck, biting into it again, blood bloomed from the ivory skin.

_Black to red those dangerous eyes bled. _

Sasuke cringed as Deidara came inside of him, filth and shame settling over him like a cage. But he still won, Deidara knew he hadn't taken Sasuke's heart from him yet. Sasuke's mind still belonged to him. Deidara could have his body all he wanted; wounds of the flesh healed over time. Sasuke couldn't allow himself to be lost yet. Not yet.

"Wretch." Deidara hissed, grabbing a handful of Sasuke's hair and jerking his head back. "I should slit your throat. What use are you besides a concubine, hm?" A feral snarl left Sasuke's lips, an act of power neither Vampire had expected. Sasuke's eyes snapped toward Deidara's, pain burst through the raven's mind as if he'd been hit in the head with a brick.

He heard Deidara scream, the sound sending terror and violent satisfaction through him. Sasuke hastily pushed himself up, panting for air as he moved backwards, vision blurry as he tried to look around him. Deidara was on the ground in front of him, breathing erratic and expression twisted as if he'd seen something horrible. He looked unconscious as Sasuke looked at him.

Blood dripped down his face from those deadly crimson eyes.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**Check this shit out; I made plans. I got really tired of always making every story arbitrary, so I made plans for this. This story should be a few more chapters, it depends on where I cram stuff. **

**Damn, almost started to let this story go. Can't do that! I truly hope you enjoy this chapter, it's been really tedious to write these past days. Partially I think it's because I cut my nails so they feel weird; and partially, my mind doesn't seem to be in it. It's not writer's block so much as it is… Just not wanting to make the effort. I admit to having problems staying committed, but I truly hope I grow out of that… It will become a serious problem. **


	9. Lure Me to Death

The door was tossed open and Sasori stepped inside, most likely having heard Deidara's scream. His hazel eyes widened a fraction, obviously surprised to have found Deidara seemingly unconscious. He cast a venomous look towards Sasuke, clearly annoyed. "What did you do?" He asked the other, voice calm even while Sasuke knew it was a lie.

"I don't know, my head began to hurt and he suddenly collapsed." He barely finished his sentence before his body was suddenly pulled backward, as if someone had shoved him. He noticed Sasori's fingers move, his body knelt onto the ground. He was under the puppet master's control. "Don't lie to me." Sasori's tone held a warning, Sasuke shook his head slowly. "I'm not. I don't understand what happened."

Sasori suddenly tilted his chin up, Sasuke felt the redhead swipe his thumb across his cheek, pulling the hand away. He didn't glance behind him as Konan entered the room, her hand came up to cover her mouth. "What happened to his eyes?" She asked, starting towards them. "Tend to Deidara. I'll deal with his pet." Konan hesitated, concerned, though she wasn't going to bother fighting.

She knelt beside Deidara, checking his pulse as she tried to bring him back into consciousness. Sasuke remained placid as Sasori gripped his forearm and pulled him out of the room, not disclosing his racing heart. Had he killed Deidara? The thought unsettled him, that he would kill anyone, even a demon. He hadn't even moved, much less caused any pain to the older Vampire. He felt lightheaded, his eyes burning as if saltwater had been thrown into them. Sasori's pace was swift, nearly dragging Sasuke behind him before they came to a stop in front of Kakuzu's door, the redhead knocked. "Enter."

Sasuke nearly tried to pull away from Sasori's grasp, having no interest in seeing their leader. Kakuzu had held little interest in Sasuke, he didn't want that to change. Sasori pushed the door open, shoving Sasuke forward and pushing him onto the ground. "Show him your eyes." Sasuke swallowed his argument, slowly tilting his head up. Kakuzu raised a brow, standing from the chair he'd been sitting in and standing in front of Sasuke.

"Interesting turn of events. How did this happen? Has he shown this before?" Sasori shook his head, staring at Sasuke as if he expected him to answer. The Uchiha stared back down at the floor, his mind piecing a reply together. "Deidara attacked me, when I grew angry my eyes began to burn and I got this unusual headache. Our eyes met and he screamed before collapsing. I don't know what happened." He said, attempting to describe what had gone on.

"I believe you're a Cela, Sasuke." Kakuzu mused, looking the young Vampire over. Sasuke silently wondered what that could have meant, startled when Kakuzu suddenly answered his unvoiced question. "A Cela is a unique Vampire, wielding a strange and powerful ability. It is rare to see an ocular power, especially from a born-human." Kakuzu turned away from Sasuke, looking out of the window.

A loud crash echoed from somewhere in the base, Sasuke recognized an enraged shout from Deidara. He subconsciously inched towards Kakuzu, though he knew the elder wouldn't protect him. "What did this power cause to Deidara?" He asked, addressing Sasori. "It knocked Deidara unconscious, we are unsure of the full capability this power may have."

Sasuke felt like a child listening to an adult conversation about a topic he had no understanding of. "I want to find out. Have Pein train him, I don't trust anyone else not to kill him." Sasori nodded, starting to turn around when Deidara suddenly burst through the door. Sasuke was off the ground in seconds, adrenaline trying to coerce him into self-defense.

"You're going to wish I had killed you that night!" Deidara snarled, rage in his eyes as he lunged for Sasuke. Sasori collided with the blonde, sending them both to the floor. Kakuzu stepped in front of Sasuke, eyes narrowed at Deidara as Sasori managed to subdue him, the younger male knelt on the ground unable to move as Sasori kept him immobile. "You'll do well to remember your place, Deidara. Lest I have to teach it to you again." Sasuke shivered at the glacial tone. Deidara looked up, eyes still fierce with anger, though he didn't speak.

"Sasuke awakened a Kekkei-Genkai. Seems you took on a Cela, Deidara." The blonde cast Sasuke a look, though said Vampire didn't meet it, wary he would cause Deidara to faint again. "He's nothing but a worthless and disobedient little shit, yeah." Deidara snarled. Sasuke felt his eyes burning again, his head lifting up. Both he and Deidara froze, blue eyes widening as his body went limp. Sasuke felt an unwarranted sense of disgust waver through him as he tilted his head, Deidara following the same action. "He entranced him." Sasori said, sounding surprised. Kakuzu snapped his fingers, gaining Sasuke's attention and breaking Deidara free of the spell.

"Sasori, take Sasuke to the nearby village. I don't trust Deidara with him yet." Kakuzu turned to Sasuke then when the younger began to ask why he was being sent out, not acknowledging the infuriated growl Deidara emitted. "You are to practice this spellbinding capability you just showed. Lure a human to us." Sasuke started to shake his head, completely doubting he could manage the task and definitely not wanting to. He didn't get a chance to speak when Sasori took his wrist, dragging him out of the door.

"Do not argue with him unless you wish to lose your tongue." Sasori told him, forcing Sasuke to keep pace with him as they crossed through the darkening forest, evening giving them cover though numerous people would still be bustling through the streets. Sasuke looked around them as Sasori pulled a hood over his head, possibly to disguise himself. "Find someone that is separated from a crowd, entice them and bring them here." Sasuke finally forced a word in. "I don't think I can, I have no understanding of this power or how to control it." Sasori didn't appreciate being argued with, Sasuke discovered, as he was slapped across the face.

"Don't keep me waiting. Do as you're told, make it fast." Sasori's voice remained bored, as if this were nothing but a babysitting job for him. Sasuke composed himself, taking a slow breath so he would look as calm as he could manage. He pushed his hands into his pockets, slipping into the crowds cluttering the street. To anyone else he would seem like an average teenager; which is why he was careful to keep his eyes straight to the ground.

He knew Sasori would grow impatient, but he wasn't going to try anything with large groups pf people around. He waited nearly fifteen minutes for a single woman to pull herself away from the bustle of people, making her way swiftly down the street. She was older, her hair was graying. She walked into the library, he followed after her. He watched her a few moments, trying to gather up the strength.

After she looked up, he shifted, his eyes boring straight into hers. She looked alarmed for a moment -presumably because he had crimson eyes- before she slowly relaxed, looking serene as she held his gaze. He nodded towards the door cautiously, feeling a sense of dread as she walked towards it with him. He had control over her, a power no one should ever have over another being.

He didn't look anywhere except the ground as he led her back to Sasori, the redhead raised a brow, promptly knocking the lady unconscious and tossing her over his shoulder. "Decent work, this can make hunting a bit easier." He mused as Sasuke began to walk alongside him, making their way back to the base. Sasuke felt sick as Sasori tossed the woman onto the ground in front of Kakuzu, who had come to stand outside upon sensing their return.

"I assume he did well?" Kakuzu questioned Sasori, looking at the woman on the ground before them as she began stirring. "Indeed. He lured her away from the library, no one seemed to notice." Kakuzu nodded, glancing at Deidara as the blonde appeared beside him, an odious look shot at Sasuke.

"Seems like he has use after all, hm." Deidara muttered thoughtfully, kneeling down and grabbing the woman's hair and jerking her onto her knees. She screamed at the sudden pain, being forced into full awareness. She looked around her frantically, terror in her eyes. _She knew… _She knew she was going to die here, Sasuke thought.

Deidara pulled a knife from his jacket, the woman's eyes found Sasuke and she plead with him for her life with those horrified eyes; as if she could see straight through his façade. He swallowed, apologizing to her silently.

Sasuke turned his head away in order to avoid watching Deidara slit the woman's throat, her eyes that had begged for her life turning dull as her blood was drained from her body by the cruel Vampire.

He was being used to kill. _He_ was the demon.

_I can't escape this hell_

_So many times I've tried_

_But I'm still caged inside_

_Somebody get me through this nightmare_

_I can't control myself_

_This animal I have become._

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**Lyrics: Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace, my favorite band ever. **

**I searched for a term used for Vampires with secret, special abilities or power, but the only things that kept popping up was a bunch of stuff for Twilight… Twilight wasn't great, but it wasn't aimed at my age group. Well… I guess it kind of was, but whatever. So I made up my own term and will now define it; **

**Cela: From the Latin word Celatum, meaning secret, it is a Vampire with hidden and unique abilities. Cela are rare and almost never created from human blood. Pronounced "Say-luh."**

**I made a rule that while I can start writing new stories if ideas pop up, I'm not allowed to post any more until every single one that I currently have posted is completed. Even the ones I have on hiatus. So, that is why this chapter is so long. I have a few things I want to build inside this story, and I don't want to rush even though I want it out of my way, so I'll try to have longer chapters where each one moves the story forward, no more filler chapters. **

**Also really sorry for this long note but; I'm going to bend the Sharingan's abilities a little. I understand completely what the Sharingan is and what its capabilities are, but I am stretching the truth a bit. Or maybe not, basically Sasuke's hypnotization is technically Genjutsu, just empowered by the Sharingan. **


	10. Innocent No More

To think we all used to be innocent at one point, a period of life Sasuke couldn't even remember anymore. At what age do we realize bad things are real? That the monsters are real, that nightmares can actually happen, that the darkness is something to truly be afraid of? What are children supposed to do when something that they were always promised wasn't real appears straight out of that darkness and steals any sense of innocence they may have had left… "I'm not a child anymore." Sasuke muttered to himself, fists clenched at his sides.

_Aren't you, though? _

He looked up when the door to his room opened, curling back into the shadows and gritting his teeth. "Get up, I don't have time to deal with your emotional shit right now, yeah." Deidara snarled, fisting Sasuke's hair and dragging him off the floor. Sasuke withheld his reply, pleased to realize he was steadily growing accustomed to Deidara's vituperation.

He knew where they were going, the disgusting sense of nausea boiling in his stomach was a signal of that. It had been two months since Deidara had brought out this ability in Sasuke; Kakuzu had told the raven he would lure food to them when hunting became scarce. Deidara took advantage of the talent ever since discovering it however, not giving Sasuke a choice in the matter. Either capture a human and bring them back, or risk being beaten half to death and forced to watch another person die anyway. There was no win.

It was wearing on Sasuke's mentality, slowly but rather steadily, to repeatedly watch an innocent human being die because of you. Because you weren't strong enough to say no. He found himself throwing up anything he had inside of him almost every night, it was taking a toll on his health. How could you protect someone else when you couldn't protect yourself?

He had to stare into the eyes of each victim he took, wondering if they had a family that was going to miss them. Did that woman he first killed have a husband? Grandchildren? What about that teenaged boy he had lured from a movie theater last week, surely he had parents and friends that were going to mourn him.

He occasionally wondered if someone missed him in the many months he had been missing. He knew they wouldn't. Perhaps his landlady or teachers may have noticed him missing, but they would only chalk it up to him moving elsewhere. His family had more than likely completely moved on. He thought of Itachi then, wondering where he was and if he thought about Sasuke at all.

They were so close when they were young… Sasuke had to realize why Itachi left, he couldn't blame Itachi for trying to stay alive. If their father was willing to put him in the hospital over nothing more than an argument over an arranged marriage, imagine what could have happened when Itachi finally flat out refused to marry the woman… Sasuke was hurt and bitter over being left alone to try to cope with their family and father's controlling violence; but would Itachi really have died staying there?

_I hated you for abandoning me and allowing me to suffer… But hatred was never as bitter and painful as it is now. Wherever you are… I hope you're happy. Because I know I'll never see you again, brother. _

Sasuke snapped from his reverie when Deidara's nails suddenly dug into his wrist, breaking the skin. He flicked his gaze up, swallowing his thoughts and locking them back once more. "Snap out of it, focus on your job, hm." Deidara said, shoving Sasuke towards the city. Sasuke bit his tongue to stifle the argument he started to allow past his lips, the taste of blood filling his mouth.

He walked down the street, the red of his eyes glinting off the windows of the stores he passed.

_Hatred in those blood red eyes, but he won't choose the one who dies. _

* * *

Sasuke never watched Deidara kill. He refused to look into someone's eyes as they died, he'd learned his lesson. His reflexes reacted when Deidara suddenly grabbed his jaw, the strong scent of blood affecting his ability to think clearly. His breath left him in a loud huff when he hit the ground, Deidara had shoved him. "I'll snap that arm, brat. Don't try to act tough, hm."

Deidara kicked him in the stomach as he stepped over him. With erratic breathing Sasuke pulled himself off the ground despite gravity wishing to keep him down. He followed after Deidara, refraining from looking behind him to the body of the woman he had just sentenced to murder.

"Walk around the base for a while, hm. You're getting fat." With a snicker Deidara walked inside. Sasuke looked down at himself, confused. He didn't think he looked anywhere near fat. If anything he was lither than before he'd come here. Slender made for fast.

_Fast… _

He looked around him then, his heart beginning to race with adrenaline at the mere second of thought he'd given to this idea. Could he? He sensed no one else around him, if he could make it far enough away surely they wouldn't even bother trying to track him down again.

_Run!_

He instantly obeyed the thought his mind silently whispered. A blur of colors stormed past his vision as he pushed his body past its limits. Everything except escaping had abandoned his thoughts. Run, run fast, don't worry about your racing heart or burning muscles.

He hadn't trained his body like Fledglings should have, he was unused to the speed and adrenaline coursing through him. He was only a yearling as far as Vampires were concerned, he hadn't mastered his instincts or capabilities.

A sudden, unfathomable pain exploded throughout his entire being; it was as if agony itself had been injected into his bloodstream. He froze where he was, the sound of his heart pounding in his ears deafening him. He clutched his hands over his ears, screaming as the pain enveloped his heart.

He tried to take another step forward, but the world vanished from beneath him and he collapsed onto the ground. What was wrong with him? Was he dying? What did dying feel like, weren't you supposed to see light? All he saw was dark. It crept around the corners of his vision, the thieving blackness planning to blind him.

His entire body arched off the ground as fire engulfed him. He let it seep deep into him, hoping death would allow him into its realm.

_It was better than going back to hell. _

* * *

Sasuke's blood felt like ice in his veins as he slowly drifted in and out of consciousness. After he finally thought he was going to manage to stay awake for some time, he allowed his eyes to blink open. They felt as if sand had been tossed into them, but after the explosion of pain from earlier he wasn't going to complain about anything.

_Earlier… _

He bolted up off the ground, a poor thought, as an ache encased his body. He cringed, gasping as an abhorrent voice spoke. "You're a stupid child, you know that, yeah?" Sasuke jerked towards the voice, seeing Deidara leaning against the wall of the base with crossed arms. His eyes were calm, a lie Sasuke was familiar with. He could sense the rage behind those eyes. He looked around, realizing Deidara had dragged him back home.

He had little time to react as Deidara was beside him in less than a second, grabbing his hair and forcing him to expose his throat. "You see this?" Deidara trailed his fingertips across the mark that littered Sasuke's throat, his brand from the night Deidara bit him.

"I _own_ you. This scar here?" Sasuke winced as Deidara nipped his throat, instantly going rigid. "This means you'll never escape my control. I'll find you anywhere you go, hm. You'll scream in agony any time you're away from me. You're _mine._" He hissed against Sasuke's ear, the younger tried to pull away, only succeeding in being thrown onto the ground once more.

"Next time I won't be so generous. I'll slit your pretty throat if you even think about running again, yeah." With that Deidara left Sasuke trying to regain his breath, his body still protesting movement. He felt hopelessness eating away inside him. Is this how caged animals felt? Trapped, knowing you have no way out and that no one will rescue you? You can even _remember_ being free at some point… You'll never taste liberty again.

He shuddered as a presence suddenly entered his senses, overwhelming him at the sudden appearance. He looked up in shock, meeting a mirror, it seemed. He pushed himself back, meeting this stranger's gaze.

Blood red eyes stared back into his.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE: **

***Sasuke has slowly been letting his hatred towards Itachi dissipate, because he's learning what true hatred is while being with Deidara. Hate isn't mere anger, it's the pain and fear someone can bring you. Remember this is non-massacre! :D**

**I've been asked when/if I'll add Itachi to this story and I'll say it again for you bros; I'm not. This isn't Itachi's side of the story, it's Sasuke's. I mentioned way back when that the roleplay we did was long, jumbled, made little sense and that was because we never planned for it to be anything more than fun; which it was! I could have added Itachi somehow, but when we first put Itachi and Sasuke together, it was…bad and confusing and made no sense at all, so I won't be writing that. **

**If I even tried to string Itachi's part into this it would be horrible, because there's nothing understandable about what happened in that roleplay really. But I'll tell you how it would have played out **_**had**_** I based it off our roleplay and added Itachi (and Pein's) part; Itachi had been kidnapped by the Akatsuki and ended up attacking Deidara to free Sasuke; of which Sasuke ran out to find Pein, and after he had found Pein and sent him to rescue Itachi, Naruto found him. The only thing we said was that Naruto and Sasuke had met before and had fallen in love. That's the only thing this fic was based from.**

**Okay? Great! Sorry for the long note again, but some people were getting kind of pushy. Anons seem to do that, oddly…**


	11. Chance

_Frozen in fear is actually true._

Sasuke tried to tell himself to stand, to run and escape the stranger in front of him; but he was captivated and found himself unable to move. The Vampire had long, shaggy dark hair and looked to be in his mid-twenties. His eyes mirrored Sasuke's own, crimson indifference stared down at him. The elder reached one hand towards Sasuke, the teenager eyed him a moment with guarded suspicion. As he accepted the hand he was pulled off the ground.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked, his voice a bit husky, he was unsure how long he had been unconscious. "Quite laconic, aren't you." The stranger's voice was low, without hint of what he could have been thinking. "I've had many names over the years, but if you're asking for my birth one then you may call me Madara." Sasuke's eyes continued to hold Madara's gaze, finding it difficult to look away. He sensed an air of wisdom from the older Vampire, giving him the impression he was much older than he let on.

"I have not seen you in quite a while, Sasuke. You have grown." At that Sasuke snapped into attention, taking a step away in cautiousness. "You gave me your name, but that still doesn't answer _who_ you are." Sasuke said, eyes narrowed in wariness. Madara chuckled lightly at that, his posture relaxed. "Interesting to see you are rather paranoid. Be careful with that, it could save your life or end it."

Sasuke disliked the mental games he was being forced to be a part of. "Sagacity comes with age, childe. Be patient and sharp and you will learn things a human will never notice." Sasuke's brow furrowed as he looked Madara over with calculative eyes. The man's appearance was similar to his family's. "You are from my bloodline." Sasuke said, unsure if this meant he could trust Madara or not.

The elder smirked almost imperceptibly. "Sharp minded, just like your brother. Indeed I am an Uchiha, I'm one of your ancestors." Sasuke's body tensed, not letting his guard down. "How do you know my brother?" He demanded, eyes narrowing as Madara raised a brow. "How old was your brother when he left home?" Sasuke swallowed, familiar anxiety creeping into his veins; Deidara had known too much about his life, just the same as this man seemed to. The difference was, Madara gave off no malicious intent.

"Seventeen…" He slowly replied. "And do you believe he could have gotten out entirely on his own? He is intelligent, but he was still a child in the eyes of the government. He needed help getting work, a home, identification…" Sasuke slowly began to connect the dots. "Did…you help him?" He asked, Madara nodded in answer. "I watched over you both while you were young. He sought out my assistance after knowing he could no longer live without the danger of death hanging over him in that house. I helped him escape without notice and assisted in providing him a chance to make it in the world. He was torn apart at having to leave you, but I convinced him he had to run."

Sasuke's eyes widened, feeling something in his subconscious shatter. "You _convinced _him to leave me in that place? You granted him safety and just left me there?!" Sasuke's eyes burned with anger, it only furthered his rage when Madara didn't waver at all. "Yes, I did. You've carried hatred with you for many years over believing he abandoned you, when in reality he had no choice. I promised him you would be all right." Sasuke's body was rigid, a coil ready to snap, but he forced his mind to remain in control. He wouldn't take on the elder Vampire, he didn't think he could win. "I'm not okay, I'm as far from okay as anyone can find themselves! Why would you allow all of this to happen if you had the power to save me just like you did for him?"

"Because you are strong enough to survive it. I said you _would_ be all right. That time isn't here yet." Sasuke felt himself start to collapse, but he refused the weakness to show and steeled himself against it. "No one can survive this. I've almost lost my life twice. You allowed my suffering to happen for this long, why should I trust anything you say to me?" His voice was bitter as he stared at Madara in impatience.

"I allowed your fate to happen. That is all I did." Madara remained apathetic, allowing Sasuke to unleash the anger he had kept bottled up. "Fate?" Sasuke laughed coldly. "Fate has fucked me over. My life ended the night he bit me. You can change fate. But you just allowed everything to happen. Allowed them to turn me into this _monster_ and to use me!"

Madara raised a hand to Sasuke, quieting him. "You are not a monster. Deidara? He is the monster. You must understand and accept the fact that not all Vampires are cruel. Konan, she is not a monster, even if she was forced to be a part of this clan, both she and Pein are not of the same mindset as the other Akatsuki." He said, calmly speaking as if teaching a child.

Sasuke clenched his hands together tightly. "Why don't they leave, then?" Madara smirked lightly, Sasuke scowled in irritation. "You cannot leave a clan unless the leader breaks your claim to it. In the same way Deidara has claimed you has his mate, Vampires are tied to their clans until their leader releases them. Even if they run, they will be severely punished or killed. Your clan will always know where you are while you are still attached to them." Sasuke swallowed, his mind racing to follow the information being thrust upon him.

"Does that mean I'll never be able to leave?" He asked, his voice quiet as he wasn't sure he really wanted the answer. Madara smiled, unnerving the younger Vampire. "That is your path to make, not mine. As I said, I'm here to give you a chance. I will train you and teach you how to fight and protect yourself. Your Sharingan is still not fully developed. With practice, in time you will be capable of amazing things." Sasuke blinked in confusion before reaching a hand up to his face, realizing Madara must have meant his eyes. "The ability you awakened is called the Sharingan, one of three ocular abilities Vampires can possess. These special abilities are called Kekkei-Genkai. Pein has one as well, the Rinnegan."

Sasuke shook his head slowly. "I hate this power. It's only used to hurt." Madara raised a brow, circling around Sasuke. "It is what you are being forced to use it for. That is not the limit to its capabilities. You will see things no one else can, you can take another Vampire out with merely by staring into their eyes when you grow stronger. Be warned that all power comes with a price. Be careful how often you use the Sharingan."

Sasuke slowly nodded his understanding, rigid with suspicion as Madara stopped behind him. "You are strong, learn to channel your energy. Be cautious when you fight, never underestimate an enemy and never overestimate them. Do not fight your own clan for now. You will end up hurt." Sasuke felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up; he whirled around, bracing his arms up to deflect the punch Madara delivered. He was knocked back from the force, but managed to stay standing, receiving a smirk from the elder.

"You are very fast, speed more than physical strength comes in handy far more often than not. This gives you an advantage, especially over larger or short-range fighting opponents. Your body is not accustomed to the heightened senses you now possess, you must practice gradually to build up endurance and stamina." Sasuke nodded, though his eyes were sharp as he expected Madara to try and attack him again.

"It is growing late and you need to rest off the effects of the seal Deidara used earlier. I will return tomorrow." Sasuke relaxed his posture, unsure if he should trust Madara. It put him in danger, especially if Deidara or any of the others discovered. "Do not worry, I'll take precautions that they won't know where you've gone or what we're doing." Sasuke sighed slowly, nodding once. Fear wasn't helping anyone anymore, it was time to realize he still had a chance.

"My time to help you is now. I'll give you the same chances. Your life hasn't ended, Sasuke."

_It's only just begun._

* * *

**(Naruto)**

"Will you calm down? You're putting everyone on edge!" Naruto stopped pacing long enough to glance at his female friend, but no more than a second later he resumed his anxious habit. Sakura sighed slowly, her arms folded as she watched Naruto. "Worrying yourself sick doesn't help anyone." She told him, voice tinged with concern.

"He was hurt. He would have died had he not fed, that night. They're going to kill him before he ever gets a chance to learn how to take care of himself!" Naruto said, his blue eyes beginning to tint with red. A blonde female Vampire paced around the outside of the door, on guard in case she had to protect Sakura. "Naruto, you must calm down. Think of everyone around you." Sakura soothed, trying to get her friend to relax. They had known each other since childhood and were close, if she couldn't calm him down no one could.

His breathing grew shallow for a few tense seconds, but he slowly relaxed; his eyes turned back to their warm azure color. "Sakura… Something happened that night. I don't understand it. But I can't let him go." He said, rubbing his forehead in confusion and annoyance. Sakura tilted her head, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "You didn't connect with him, did you?" She asked, her lips pursed tightly when Naruto looked up at her with nervous eyes. "I don't know! I've never felt like this before with someone, it's strange! And painful, kind of…" Sakura balled her hand into a fist, cuffing Naruto on the head. "Ow! What'd you do that for?" He muttered, pouting slightly.

"He's a part of an enemy clan, Naruto! You jeopardize both his and your life if you even try to see him again!" She said, anger and sorrow in her eyes, knowing it was too difficult to try to stay away from someone your heart had chosen. If he already felt pain from being separated, she couldn't convince him to forget about the other Vampire. She wanted to help as many people as they could, she was a healer and it was her instinct; but should they fight for something they might not win? "I could see it in his eyes, Sakura. He felt the same thing. He's always so impassive, but I can _tell. _We need to help him." Sakura sighed lowly, finally nodding her head. "I'll do what you think is right. No one deserves to be treated that way. " She said, turning to open the door. Her mate looked at her, Sakura took her hand and led her away. "Ino… He's not going to give up." She murmured. The blonde smiled lightly, giving Sakura's hand a squeeze. "If you fall for someone, it's impossible to give up…"

Naruto sat down in front of the window, looking up at the moon. He wondered if Sasuke was looking up at it, too…

"I don't care how hard I have to fight… I'll save him."

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE: **

***I feel the disgusting urge to say that ****I personally ****don't believe in fate, not at all. But I don't judge those who do. ^.^**

**I also know this chapter was slightly confusing, I apologize. Basically what I was saying is; Madara did keep watch over Itachi and Sasuke when they were young, but he focused on Itachi because he knew Sasuke was going to have to stay with the family in order to fulfill his "fate" which I have not completely elaborated upon yet. Madara understands what the future is supposed to hold, so he won't mess with fate. **

**I told myself I would have this done by the end of this week… Kiara's even been helping to inspire me, yet it's already Saturday So I don't think it's going to be completed, haha! **


	12. Fight to Live, Not to Win

Sasuke grunted as he hit the ground with enough force to scare away any birds nearby. In the blink of an eye he pushed himself up, dodging the blade Madara had swung at him. Through experience he knew the elder wouldn't fatally injure him, but he had no qualms cutting him up a bit if Sasuke wasn't fast. He was learning to channel out and move with ease with this new-found speed. Agility was one of the gifts that came along with mastering your own physical capabilities, he could dodge and deflect hits skillfully now. Well, for the most part. Madara wasn't using his full power on the younger Vampire, but he was still a much stronger opponent than most others Sasuke would encounter. Hopefully the skills and lessons he had been taught over these past four months since they had first met would keep him alive.

Sasuke was still distrustful of Madara, if only slightly. He still trusted him far more than any other member of his clan, or perhaps even a stranger if he encountered someone else. Madara was still a mysterious person. He ducked behind Madara, trying to land a single hit on the other. He was difficult to catch off guard, especially with so many years of fighting granted to his experience. Sasuke suddenly had an idea.

It was a lesson of channeling energy Madara had slowly taught him. He hadn't learned much due to Madara being skeptical of his abilities to control it, but he was certain he could handle the minor difficulty. He practiced even when Madara wasn't with him. He had to back-flip to avoid being kicked, with a deep inhale he felt electric energy crackling at his fingertips.

The aura of the clearing they were in changed, static lining the air. He lunged forward with the electricity still flowing down to his hand, the adrenaline rush it gave him proving to be effective in allowing him to move quicker. Madara braced his arms over his chest to block a potentially fatal hit, Sasuke smirked at his faux attack actually working, dodging to the right at the last second and landing a roundhouse kick to Madara's side, effectively knocking the breath out of him.

It took effort not to smirk victoriously at his little trick having worked as Madara sighed, turning back around to look Sasuke up and down. "You've practiced. You've improved quite a lot, childe." Sasuke refrained from rolling his eyes at the nickname Madara seemed to often call him. "I must leave soon, I've been teaching you for some time and there's nothing more for you to learn from me. You'll never stop learning, until the day you die. Always keep your eyes open." Sasuke narrowed his eyes in thought, nodding slightly. He'd known Madara would be leaving within only a few months, he'd been told the elder had other places to be and couldn't risk being discovered by certain people. Madara had told him barely a few days ago that he would leave Sasuke alone soon, seeing as the young Vampire was learning faster than he had expected he would.

"I trust you'll continue practicing?" Madara said, walking beside Sasuke. The younger nodded, smirking lightly. "Of course. You can never stop improving." Madara chuckled, pausing at the edge of the forest with Sasuke. "Remember, things aren't over. You'll be all right if you keep fighting." Sasuke inhaled slowly, grateful for the help Madara had given him. "Thank you." He said, Madara smiled almost imperceptibly, resting a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "I might see you again sometime. Goodbye, Sasuke." With that, Sasuke was alone the next second, as if no one had been there with him at all.

Sasuke sighed softly, turning to walk back through the forest. He took his time, knowing the forest like the back of his hand now. Deidara was annoyed at him being gone so often for long periods of time, but the blonde was caught up in his own work and Sasuke overheard Sasori telling Deidara not to interfere with the Uchiha, if he could train to become a worthwhile fighter then the clan could use him… He broke into a clearing, pausing. Something changed in the air, causing adrenaline to begin building up inside him.

He sensed the rogue Vampire mere seconds before a feral snarl broke the silence like a hammer to a mirror. He raised his head up, turning slowly to face the infuriated looking man. His skin was gray and hair matted, his eyes held an ominously…_crazy_ look to them. He calculated the distance between them; if the Vampire had so quickly located him, he doubted trying to outrun him would be a good idea. He was tense as he calmly looked the other Vampire up and down. Perfect chance to test his abilities, if you asked him.

_You've trained for this. You're ready for it. Make it out alive. _

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE: **

**Apologies for the short chapter, today was rough to say the least. Which is shit, as it turns out it's _next_ weekend when the bad things are supposed to really begin. I hope to get reviews, lovelies. Good day!**


	13. Promise Me

Sasuke's eyes bled to crimson as the Vampire snarled again, murderous intent deep in his eyes, his matted brown hair giving him the appearance of a man living in the wild for months. Sasuke used an old tactic, bracing himself and letting the rogue make the first move to study his method of attack. He watched the clumsy, jerky way the Vampire moved, deducing he was likely very sick or starving and unable to pull himself together enough to fight.

Sasuke slid to the right to avoid the Vampire's attack, swinging his arm down and elbowing the rogue in the shoulder. He heard a sickening snap, gritting his teeth as the rogue retaliated by raking its nails into Sasuke's side in an attempt to swipe him onto the ground. The scent of blood made the rogue's movements even more frenetic, the animalistic sounds leaving his mouth echoing off the trees surrounding them. Sasuke took a gamble, grabbing the Vampire around the throat and slamming him headfirst into the nearest tree. It dazed the rogue and blood dripped down his face, seeming to affect his vision.

Sasuke hissed as something sharp hit him in the leg. He put distance between himself and the rogue as it blindly lunged at him; he looked down, seeing blood making ribbons down his leg, he slowly pulled the small knife from his leg. He hid it in his jacket, looking up as his ears caught the sound of his enemy charging. His instinct told him to fight against the force, but he knew better and relaxed his body to allow speed to work over strength. _Dodge, don't hit._

Sasuke managed to sidestep the tackle, succeeding in landing a kick directly onto the rogue's back, the force sent him onto the ground. Unfortunately, despite the unstable mindset of the rogue, he still had obvious experience. With an enraged cry, he flipped around and drove his fist into Sasuke's stomach. The Uchiha lost his breath as he was knocked back a few feet, it gave the rogue a chance to lunge.

The Vampire dug its nails into Sasuke's throat, blood bloomed from the small wounds. Sasuke tried to keep himself under control, knowing panic would strengthen the Vampire's desire to kill him. Strong emotion fueled power, if you keep yourself under check you'll be safer. He turned and bit into the rogue's arm, the taste of blood entering his mouth. He smirked as the brunette quickly jerked away with a shriek. Sasuke shoved them over, clenching his fist and punching the rogue in the jaw.

He heard something crack, but he was thrown off before he could land another hit. He flipped in mid-air and landed on his feet, panting slowly to regain his control, watching the other Vampire spit blood onto the ground even as it continued dripping from his mouth. He threw himself forward, Sasuke barely had time to swerve to avoid being punched in the chest. The rogue changed course, landing a powerful hit on Sasuke's leg. The younger released a growl, losing his balance as waves of pain shot throughout his leg, worsening if he put weight on it. He had to hope it wasn't broken, raising his arms over his face to deflect a front kick. Sasuke snarled, knowing he had to end this now or he wouldn't get another chance.

He shot his arm out, grabbing the rogue by his arm and slamming him onto the ground. The rogue was weakened from whatever illness was ailing him and obvious lack of nutrients, the injuries Sasuke had inflicted succeeding in leaving the rogue considerably useless in battle now. Sasuke took the chance the rogue gave him when he hesitated for just a _second_ too long; he dropped onto the Vampire, pulling the knife out and raising his hand up. He didn't give a thought to anything other than ending the battle and getting out alive. He slammed the knife down, shoving it through the Vampire's chest and into his heart.

He panted as he watched the craze in the Vampire's eyes vanish, along with the light. He shakily pushed himself up and off the dead man, panting slowly and trying to convince his body to accept the oxygen. He refused to give up breathing, whether it was a necessity or not, he would panic if he stopped. He stood shakily, nearly falling back onto the ground as he put weight on his injured leg. He grit his teeth together hard, feeling it begin to give him a headache. He braced himself for the pain he now knew was coming, taking another step. He couldn't go back home until he'd cleaned himself up and tried to heal himself at least a bit, he had little experience in healing and had nowhere to go to feed and replenish himself. He took a deep breath, knowing of a lake close by.

Evening was setting in, the light diminishing as he tried to silently make his way to the lake, collapsing by the side as he found it. He felt pride at having won, but similar regret for having taken the rogue's life. He quickly shook it off, knowing the other Vampire was nothing but danger to anyone else. He cupped his hands, taking a drink from the clear lake and washing his face of any blood or dirt, sighing lowly.

He looked up when a familiar presence lit up his senses, shuddering. He had little time to react before someone knelt in front of him, surprising and irrationally relieving him. He wondered how Naruto found him. "Sasuke, what happened? How badly are you hurt?" He would have chuckled at Naruto's frantic questions. "I'm all right. A rogue attacked me." He replied lowly and bluntly, wincing as he shifted to take the weight off his left leg. "Where is he now?" Naruto asked, gently coaxing Sasuke to lie down on his back.

Sasuke swallowed as he laid back, knowing he was giving Naruto too much trust. He shuddered as his shirt was pulled up a bit, Naruto winced at the bruise marring Sasuke's ivory skin. "He's dead." Sasuke replied bluntly, catching Naruto off guard. "Dead? You… You killed him?" Naruto said, sounding surprised. Sasuke raised a brow. "Yes, why?" Naruto shook his head, placing one hand gently over Sasuke's abdomen, causing the Uchiha to shiver. "You are still very young, I wouldn't have expected you to be able to take down a rogue alone." Naruto said, smiling sheepishly at the half-glare Sasuke gave him. Though, Sasuke knew Naruto wasn't wrong in his thoughts. "I…" He hesitated, should he really tell Naruto this? What if the word got back to Deidara somehow?

He shook his head quickly to clear the thoughts. It wasn't as if Deidara could read his mind, he was safe with this secret. "I was trained for a few months, by an elder Vampire. He taught me quite a bit." Sasuke said, Naruto raised his eyebrows, focusing on his energy. Sasuke shivered at the familiarly unusual sensation of the energy flowing through him, feeling his injuries slowly heal. "Who was he?" Naruto asked curiously, pleased as he watched the bruises and cuts heal up. "I can't say. He is someone from my past." Naruto pouted slightly at secrets being kept from him, causing Sasuke to smile softly.

Naruto stopped channeling his energy when he was certain Sasuke was healed. "I'm not a very good healer, I've only practiced a little so a friend of mine doesn't get on my case about it." He chuckled. Sasuke sat up slowly, sighing in relief as he could move without pain. "You did fine, thank you for helping me." He said, looking up at Naruto's warm eyes. "Sasuke…" Naruto began to talk, but he seemed to trail off, unsure of how to word this. Sasuke glanced down, realizing Naruto hadn't yet removed his hand from his stomach. He felt his heart start to beat faster, having no control over it. He looked up to meet Naruto's gaze, the same connection he had felt that night at Naruto's home hitting him hard.

_This is wrong. You're going to end up hurt. He'll end up hurt. It isn't worth it and you know it. _

Sasuke didn't have time to listen to his subconscious… Naruto leaned forward and pressed his lips to Sasuke's own. The raven's mind told him to pull away, to shove Naruto back and walk away before they got themselves killed and started a fight between their clans. But something much louder convinced him to lean closer and return the kiss. Naruto was surprised as Sasuke kissed him back, the soft kiss between them growing more intense once they were both certain of what they were doing.

Sasuke felt Naruto place a hand on his waist, the kiss remaining chaste; although it was the sweetest he'd ever had. Sparks of electricity shot throughout him from the touch, as they pulled away they both were a little short of breath. "We can't do this." Sasuke murmured, the consequences didn't involve only him. "But we want to." Naruto said, the intensity in his eyes fierce. Sasuke tilted his head to show his neck, his voice bitter as the seal was shown. "You know better than I do what the laws are, Naruto. This seal marks me as his property. He can and _will_ kill me if I so much as look at you." He was unwilling to say what had happened that night he'd first gotten home from Naruto's base, Naruto had no reason to know.

"I can't be more than a few miles away from him, if I disobey him the seal grants him the power to cause me pain. To submit. No matter how much I want to run I _can't!"_ Sasuke's voice shook, a torrent of emotion seeping past the cracks Naruto had made in the glass barrier he'd built around himself. He tried not to let the punishing ways of his clan affect him, but he couldn't lie to Naruto. _Why?_ He was startled when Naruto suddenly embraced him, hugging him almost tight enough to hurt.

"You're endangering yourself and your clan by being here, Naruto. If anyone from my clan knew about this they would wage war against your clan and kill them. Territory is important to them." He muttered, further angered by Naruto's refusal to let him go and forget they ever knew each other. He wouldn't be responsible for a war or the death of anyone else just because he'd broken the law over being a Vampire's slave. He couldn't do that to someone else. "There's a way out." Naruto murmured, pulling back. Sasuke swallowed at the fierce flash in Naruto's eyes. "No there isn't. He owns me, the seal isn't breakable! I'm like a dog to them!" He hissed, eyes flashing with red.

Naruto kissed him hard, silencing him. The action had effectively short-circuited Sasuke's mind, as Naruto pulled away he couldn't think of something to say. "The bond can be broken. You don't want to be with them, they're stuck in the old ways and still use slavery and the old Kindred laws. I am a Viradux, I'm superior to the Vampire that changed you. I know there's a way to free you from the curse he placed you under. I could kill him!" Naruto said harshly, searching Sasuke's eyes for hints of emotion.

"Naruto… It isn't worth the risk. There's too much danger and too many that could end up hurt. The Akatsuki would hunt everyone in your coven down and destroy them, they would never forgive an attack on one of their own." Sasuke said, shaking his head. He had seen them hunt down those that had wronged them, they would find you and kill you. It was inescapable. Naruto pursed his lips tightly. "There has to be another way. I know there is." Sasuke gave a bitter scoff. "_I_ could kill him. Then at least I wouldn't have to deal with them anymore and one less of them would be out there." Naruto cupped Sasuke's face, forcing him to look at him. "Don't. Don't say that. Don't get yourself killed because you hate him. I'll find a way to get you out. Promise me you won't give up, Sasuke."

Sasuke started to argue, but Naruto broke in. "Promise me. Promise _yourself_. You don't want to give up like this, I'll find a way out of this." Naruto said, voice almost desperate. Sasuke exhaled slowly. "I promise." He murmured. He promised not to give up, not to let Deidara win, he would keep fighting. Naruto kissed him then, creating a pool of heat inside of him. "I'll see you soon, Sasuke. I'll end this. No one has to die." He murmured, standing up. Sasuke let their eyes meet before Naruto finally vanished, leaving Sasuke with the company of the shadows. Sasuke knew the threats hanging over all of them.

Naruto couldn't endanger his entire clan for the life of one person. The needs of many outweighed the needs of few. He wasn't going to go down without a fight, but he couldn't know when he would give up and end it.

After all, the person you'll break the most promises to in life, is yourself.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**Viradux: Derived from the Latin word "dux" meaning leader, it is an elder clan leader. Among the strongest of their kind. Pronounced: Vee-rah-dukes.**

**Fuck, so much sap. So much. Too much. I wanted fluff, I'm so sorry if you didn't like it!**

**One thing I guess I hinted to you readers; yeah, Naruto isn't as young as he may come off as. **

**Dear Anonymous Reviewer: I appreciate your review so much, very well thought out and helpful with my writing. I actually wish you'd had an account. Yes, people have asked about Itachi and I wasn't going to really mention him at all; but chose to after consideration for what I wanted in the story, which was at least basic closure as far as what happened to him. There were more reasons behind why Naruto wants to help Sasuke, but cannot. Not currently, anyway… It boils down to basic Vampire slavery laws. If a Vampire bit you and placed a seal on you, you belong to them and their clan. Vampires are territorial, if someone else touches what is theirs then they will be killed along with the rival clan. Naruto's clan and the Akatsuki are already on very thin ice with each other. The slavery laws are old, however, and are disagreed with by many.  
**

**And yes I meant for Sasuke to seem weaker in this story as he's never been trained in any way aside from what Madara worked with last chapter. He's getting stronger, but he is still young, as you said. His will is strong. Thank you again so much for your help and support and making me realize I really need to pay better attention and detail things better so it flows easily and doesn't leave so many questions, as there was only one thing on your list that I even thought about working on, everything else I hadn't planned out, so I thank you very much for your help, Anon.**


	14. Bleed Me Dry

Sasuke sighed slowly, his eyes focusing on his targets. Six trees, six knives.

_Precision can be key. _

He leapt off the branch, focusing deeply on his own energy and his surroundings. It felt as if he'd paused in midair; his crimson eyes shot open, he flicked his wrist as he spun in a circle in the air before he landed on his feet. The sound of the blades burying themselves in the tree dully echoed. He straightened up, smirking to himself as he noted each knife had succeeded in hitting the target on the tree.

Pein had been urging him to practice as much as he could lately. The elder had occasionally spent time training Sasuke, teaching and improving skills and knowledge. Sasuke was sure Pein had noticed his power growing while Madara was here, but he had said nothing about it. He had started off bitter towards Pein, while knowing the Vampire had been the one to find him when Hidan had attacked him he still had resented the fact that Pein had not helped him or protected him from Deidara.

It had taken weeks for Sasuke to learn and truly understand how a clan worked. Or rather, how his worked. The Akatsuki were old fashioned, treating each other like enemies and even prisoners on occasion. Pein couldn't argue against what another clan member wished, he would be attacked. Konan suffered from his mistakes as well, as the others knew of their relationship and would instantly use her against him. It was a harsh cycle.

Pein had said it was becoming all but impossible to detect Sasuke's emotions now, he had improved greatly in concealing them and not allowing others to feed from them.

He began walking down the pathway home, he had spent over an hour with training. Deidara was edgy lately, the gash on Sasuke's stomach reminded him not to spend too much time away. He'd come home late two nights ago to a drunken and angered Deidara, who had told him he needed to stop disappearing so much. His job was to fulfill Deidara's needs, not prance around the forest. The chains around him were continuing to tighten.

He inhaled slowly as he weaved his way through the trees. The forest calmed him, it was a safe haven for him. He couldn't recall how long he had been here, it had been over a year he was certain. It felt strange to think that, knowing he hadn't been keeping track of time. How old was he, now? Seventeen? What was today?

He shook his head to erase his inner questions. Immortality made time meaningless. Hundreds of years could go by and age would be long forgotten. Who cared about age, when after you turn into an adult there's really nothing exciting about turning another year older.

He found himself reaching his hand up, fingers tracing the seal. People kept animals in cages, he'd heard animal activists shouting "would you do this to another person?" He could truthfully tell them that yes, some monsters would. They had done much worse to him than merely eradicating his freedom. And they had done this to others… What went through the mind of someone that made them think hurting one of their own kind was okay? That raping and torturing _anyone_ was okay?

He was entranced with his thoughts, when he finally caught on to the conversation nearby it almost made him gasp. He froze in his steps, turning his head to try to focus better on the words. He narrowed his eyes. "I told you to take off your clothes, woman. There's nothing else you're good for, I don't know why you're so damn stuck up." A voice cackled, he listened as a female voice made a sound of pain.

Sasuke immediately recognized Konan's voice, he pieced the male's voice to be Kisame's. He spent time avoiding the older Vampire, as he had something else mixed into his bloodline, Sasuke was certain. He was menacing and had no qualms with murder, either, Sasuke preferred to avoid challenging him. But this time, he wouldn't leave someone vulnerable to be victimized if he could do something to stop it.

He broke out of the shadows, catching both Vampires off guard. He rammed into Kisame's side, hearing the elder grunt as he lost his breath from the hit. He was forced to release Konan's wrist, the blue haired female turned her amber eyes to Sasuke in horror. He stood in front of her, the crimson in his eyes flashing as the sun's rays flashed over them. "Sasuke don't, he'll kill you!" She murmured to him, he didn't look at her. "Run. Go find Pein." She hesitated, truly not wanting to leave Sasuke alone. "Run!" He told her urgently as Kisame faced them again, a sneer on his face.

Konan left, the breeze silencing her as she ran away from the open field. "You're gonna pay for that, you brat." Kisame slurred, Sasuke realized he'd been drinking. Not a surprise, really. "You're probably loose as a penny whore, aren't you? You're so eager to take her place." Kisame snickered, pulling the intimidatingly large sword, Samehada, off of his back. Sasuke swallowed, shifting into a defensive stance, ready to dodge should Kisame decide to attack. "Drunkard." He muttered back in disgust, wiping the smug smirk off Kisame's face.

"I'll teach you a lesson, brat." Kisame snarled, lunging forward with Samehada. Sasuke had to flip backwards to avoid being struck, ducking onto his knees and leaning backwards as Kisame swung the sword again. He rose up and landed a side-kick, cursing as it didn't seem to affect Kisame. He gasped as he was grabbed by his leg and thrown across the field. He dug his nails into the earth, thinking quickly he did a heel kick to knock Kisame off of his feet. The elder rebalanced himself quickly, bringing his sword down quickly where Sasuke was still crouched on the ground.

The younger twisted over, pushing himself up. He knew before entering this battle he had a slim chance of winning, Kisame was trained and experienced far past any level that Sasuke was. But he was too far into the fight to stop. He sidestepped the next swing, raising his fist and landing a hit on Kisame's side. He gasped as Kisame apparently anticipated the attack, swinging his left hand and backhanding Sasuke. The strike sent him onto the ground, his vision spotting. _Move. Move, damn it!_

He jerked himself off the ground, stumbling slightly. He braced his arms up to block a kick that knocked him back against a tree. He tried to move, to duck, but his body seemed caught in a completely different world and wouldn't function with his brain's commands. He saw the sword coming towards him, he sidestepped away from the attack as it came closer, time stilling to the point he could hear his own heartbeat.

He wasn't fast enough.

He felt the blade tear through his flesh, hot blood beginning to drench the ground. Had Kisame hit that deep? He couldn't feel anything for seconds, minutes, hours it seemed as he started to collapse onto the ground as if he'd forgotten how to stand. He heard a rushing sound in his ears as time snapped back into place, the pain striking him like a bomb.

A short scream ricocheted off the trees like a bullet, lined with pain as he hit the ground. He covered his stomach with his hands, the large gash bleeding profusely, he had nothing to stop it with. The pain worsened as he pressed down, trying to hinder the blood loss. He felt dizziness seeping into his mind, spots flashing in his vision. He vaguely heard Kisame laugh darkly, saying something that was blurred out by his senses. He looked up, watching his only chance of getting out of this forest alive walk away from him.

The sword was of a unique breed; if it struck you, it could suck your power away, leaving you vulnerable and unable to heal yourself. His resolve to fight this rapid blood loss began to dwindle as his life source began to deplete, leaving him weak and unstable. Through ringing in his ears, he heard an unfamiliar woman yelling at him. "Sasuke, stay awake! Sasuke please, focus on my voice! Stay with me!"

Who was trying to fight his descent into peaceful slumber? He felt hands tearing off the remains of his shirt, muttering incomprehensibly to him as she placed her cold hands painfully over the large wound. "Stay awake! Fight it!"

_I promised… But I can't… _

The shadows encased him, poisoning his consciousness with darkness.


	15. Puppet Strings Are Coming Undone

_That's right_

_Trigger between my eyes_

_Please strike_

_Make it quick now_

* * *

_Pain was an odd concept. What was pain, really? Was it your body telling you something was wrong with you, or was it something far more psychological? There were different forms of pain; physical, emotional, mental… Physical pain was the simplest to alleviate, and could be far less damaging than emotional or mental pain. Those left scars you couldn't even see. But, you could always feel them; the reminder that they were there could push you two directions. Usually you will first take the dark path, where there is nothing there for you but misery and self-pity. Time is pain's sister, she will mold you and heal you. Then your pain will pave a new pathway for you. A path to your salvation. _

* * *

Obsidian eyes shot open, he started to bolt up, but a firm hand pressed down on his shoulder. "Don't move too fast." A woman warned. _The woman from before… _He looked towards the voice, emerald green eyes watched him with focus, as if looking for signs of injury. "Do you feel any more pain?" She asked. He paused for a moment, glancing down at himself. His skin was clear of any serious wound. Had she healed him so quickly?

He shook his head. "Thank you." He told her. She smiled gently, seeming to be relieved. He recalled she had said his name, though the memory was vague. "How did you find me?" He asked, suddenly worried for her well-being, should Kisame come back. The girl leaned back, still sitting on her knees. "I am part of Naruto's coven, he sensed you were in danger and asked me to follow him. I'm a healer, my name is Sakura." She told him in an almost inaudible voice, Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. He knew they were in a part of the forest that belonged to no certain clan, but to be seen with anyone from Naruto's clan could be a danger to both him and this girl.

He started to say something when he realized the ringing in his ears was diminishing, and what he had thought to be mere fuzziness from his hearing was actually someone talking. He slowly sat up, following Sakura's gaze as she looked behind her. His eyes widened in shock at recognizing whose voice it was.

"He could have died had she not scented blood nearby!" An infuriated Naruto growled, inches away from an impassive looking Deidara; said bomber cast an uncaring glance at Sasuke. "It wouldn't have mattered anyway, he is a mere slave of our clan, hm." He replied, voice laced with venom as he glared at Naruto. "That does not make anyone's life any less important, how sick are you that you would allow him to be in this sort of danger?" Sasuke began to feel a strange aura encircling the area around them; he looked at Naruto, almost thinking he'd caught a sight of red in his eyes.

Sakura stood up, causing Deidara's attention to transfer to her. A sneer slowly spread across his lips, setting alarms off in Sasuke's mind. "Your whore should learn to mind her own business, hm." Sakura's fists clenched together, Naruto looked liable to attack Deidara but Sakura spoke before anyone could make the next move. "It is my responsibility to care for anyone injured, whether they are of my clan or not. I save lives, what do you do besides blow things up like a psychotic gender-confused leech?"

Sasuke felt his eyes widen a fraction, standing up too quickly and earning himself a bout of light-headedness. Deidara was in front of Sakura in seconds, anger in his eyes. "You miserable wench, you wouldn't know art if it blew up in your face." He raised his hand in the air, starting to swing his arm down to slap her. Neither Sasuke nor Naruto could have made it in time to entirely stop the hit, though Naruto didn't seem to make any movement towards her.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he should be impressed or horrified by the next course of action, if he were honest.

Sakura had caught Deidara's fist in her hand, she bent it downwards. He winced though it clearly wasn't broken. "I don't appreciate being attacked simply because you can't control your emotions." She said, eyes flashing in anger. Sasuke had a sinking feeling a fight was going to break out between them, but Sakura took a step away, Deidara didn't follow her.

Naruto stepped between them. "You have dozens of people to satisfy your thirst, why must you keep him prisoner?" He nodded towards Sasuke, causing said raven's eyes to widen. He supposed this actually was the correct reaction, as they all were playing this off as if Naruto was only trying to act out of the well-being for someone else, and not as if they actually knew each other anything past that one night.

Of course, Deidara had also expected Naruto to assault Sasuke that night.

"If you're jealous of my pet, I suggest you get your own to use, yeah." Deidara's voice could have had icicles dripping off of it. Sasuke swallowed, instantly erasing his expression and eyes of any thoughts, creating a blank look as Deidara glanced at him. "Just let him go. You could have anyone you wanted, what's the point of hurting your own kind?" Deidara's lips curled into an impatient sneer. "Why are you so damned worried about it, yeah?" He questioned, Sasuke noticed his body was rigid with rage. "Because it's disgusting. You're keeping him against his will and nearly killing him! What's the point of doing this?"

Naruto hissed, he didn't flinch as Deidara stepped forward, barely an inch from the other Vampire's face. "Because I _can_. Because it's easy to have a slut for any need we have, hm." A malicious look entered his eyes. "Besides, it's sweeter when they fight." Naruto snarled, both Sasuke and Sakura moved forward then. Sakura placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and Sasuke took Deidara's wrist. "Deidara, we should go home." Deidara cast him a glare that suggested he was sorely tempted to break Sasuke's arm. _Been there, done that. _

He gave the blonde the most innocent and pleading look he could to convince him to leave; he nearly sighed in relief when Deidara took the bait. He pulled free of Sasuke's grip and turned to walk away, glancing back at Naruto. "Touch what belongs to me again and you'll pay for it. I will kill him before I ever let him go." He growled, the threat weighing heavily on the other three Vampire's minds. He took Sasuke's wrist and pulled him forward harshly towards the base. Sasuke discreetly turned around, his eyes meeting Naruto's own, which now seemed their normal azure color.

_I'll be fine. _

He silently told Naruto. He watched Naruto purse his lips, but received a short nod in reply.

Things will be okay, but sometimes you have to make them that way.

* * *

Naruto watched Sasuke walk away, wanting to just pull him back. "Naruto please, don't endanger everyone else. We can't handle a war right now, our land can't either. The humans could find us and decide to try to hunt us again." He heard Sakura say, her voice firm even as she plead with him. He sighed, sagging slightly as relaxed his tense posture. He turned to face her then. "Are you all right?" He asked, looking at her hand. She folded her arms, raising a brow.

"Of course, something like that isn't going to hurt me." She said dismissively. He smiled lightly at her. The women in his clan were downright terrifying sometimes. He looked behind them again, longing to go back after Sasuke. It would be pointless, the only thing dragging Sasuke away from Deidara would do was harm him along with practically asking for a fight.

He looked up as the moon began entering the sky. She was almost full. "The Hajime Blood Moon will be in a few nights." Sakura murmured thoughtfully as she followed his gaze. He nodded slowly before a thought entered his mind, hitting him as if he'd been shot. "What did you say?" He asked, looking at her with such intensity she stuttered in surprise. "The Hajime Blood Moon, it will rise in a few days." She said, watching him with suspicious eyes.

He couldn't remember all of the details of the old book, but he suddenly had an idea. He took Sakura by her hand, starting to run back towards their base at a pace so fast she could hardly keep up. "What's wrong?" She asked in exasperation. "I think I know how to break Sasuke free." He told her. She widened her eyes in shock, but she didn't have the breath to ask him what this sudden idea was going to be.

She had to hope it worked, whatever it was. Sasuke wasn't going to hold up for much longer.

* * *

_Unlaced, I'm coming undone_

_Too late, I'm coming undone_

_What looks so strong, so delicate._

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**Lyrics: Coming Undone by Korn. The lyrics here actually do symbolize something I'm trying to say in this chapter, but you'll have to figure that out. I might tell you later.**

**I've actually been going online to learn about martial arts so that I can manage to name the maneuvers correctly. Interesting things you can learn!**

**And Kiara roleplayed a DeiSasu with me, best sister ever. ^.^ Go check her out at her account Sasuke Neko. **

***Leech is a derogatory term in this, when another Vampire calls a Vampire this they are basically saying they are savage beasts with no control.**

***Hajime Blood moon – Beginning Blood moon. A sacred time of the year for Vampires in this story. **

**Old book – Basically a history and law book.**


	16. Break The Bars, Set Me Free

_Don't put your life in someone's hands_

_They're bound to steal it away_

_Don't hide your mistakes_

_'Cause they'll find you, burn you_

_If you want to get out alive_

_Run for your life_

Sasuke was wasting time in the woods to have time alone for his thoughts; and to hopefully stay out of everyone's path of destruction. When they returned home a couple of nights ago from where Kisame had attacked Sasuke, Deidara took it upon himself to make the raven regret ever even _learning_ how to talk. Sasuke knelt on the tree branch he'd been sitting on then, his ears catching the sound of someone walking through the forest. They weren't being cautious, giving him the impression they weren't an enemy. And if they were, they were an idiot.

He relaxed his tense posture as his senses zeroed in on the Vampire, recognizing him. "You are out late." A voice cut into the silence of the night. Sasuke hopped out of the tree, looking up to meet the silver eyes of one of the few beings he trusted. "Pein. I could say the same for you." He replied as he greeted the elder. "I wish to ask you something." Sasuke tilted his head at that, eyes not disclosing his thoughts to the request. He nodded, following after Pein as he began walking down one of the paths.

Pein was silent for some time as they put distance between them and the base. Though when he spoke, Sasuke greatly wished he hadn't come here with him.

"You and Naruto found a connection, did you not?" Pein's statement caught Sasuke completely off guard, he had to consciously work to keep his heart from speeding up. "Why do you ask this?" He asked, genuine curiosity in his voice, as if he had not given any thought to the blonde. "I spoke to him." Sasuke paused, turning to give Pein a look that blatantly asked him to explain. "Naruto and I share history, one we have repaired enough to be allies. We've fought in a war Konan and I waged many years ago. The thing that is both good and bad with Naruto is he can use his words as a weapon against anyone." Sasuke wanted to question this, he held his tongue out of experience of knowing the past wasn't to be spoken of if you didn't want it to be.

"A few nights ago he stopped me while I was hunting. He asked about you, asked me to try and protect you. He told me of an idea he had." Sasuke swallowed, feeling a chill go through him as adrenaline entered his bloodstream. "What did he say?" He asked, his tone lined with ice. Pein turned to glance at him, looking back up at the moon as it began to leave the clouds she was hiding behind. "He wants me to try to end the Akatsuki with him." Sasuke's eyes widened, he took a step away from Pein. "You know better than this, Pein." He hissed, as if wary they would be heard.

"I made a mistake in being sworn to this clan. I was bound to it, as well as Konan. I had a chance of surviving if I left, but she didn't. She is considered property, being a female. They would hunt her if she left with me, and kill her if I left without her. I couldn't do this to her. If Kakuzu is killed, the clan is disbanded, null. Naruto wants to kill Deidara, to assure your safety.

Even if the others managed to escape, they will be considered rogue and of much less strength." Sasuke's eyes turned away from Pein and looked down, disbelief in them. "That won't work. You can't get to either one of them without the others around, you'll end up getting yourself and Konan killed and Naruto will end up starting a war." Sasuke said coldly, starting to walk away. Pein instantly blocked his path, staring down at him. "You only look at the darkness. Kakuzu is powerful, as am I. Naruto is one of the strongest of our lands, have faith in him. You must fight as well, don't give up on yourself." Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction.

_Your life hasn't ended._

_You will be all right, but you have to make it so. _

_Promise me you won't give up. _

_Promise me. _

_Promise yourself!_

He had promised not to give up. Naruto wouldn't ever forgive him if he broke the promise. He swallowed, looking up at Pein once more. "Do you believe this could work?" He asked, voice a bit leery. Pein nodded once. "I believe it can. We can end a lot of suffering with this being done." Sasuke inhaled slowly, his decision would not only affect him…

"We will fight, then." He murmured. Pein smiled almost imperceptibly. "I am glad to hear your willingness to stand up. He has not perfected the idea, he asked me to broach the subject to you. He still wants to figure out details to assure no one will end up hurt." With that, he nodded a goodbye to Sasuke and vanished just as quickly as he had come. Sasuke sighed in annoyance, he still had questions left unanswered. What was Naruto going to try and do?

_Fighting without knowing who will win is selfish when you involve so many. _

_But how many more are suffering if you don't at least try?_

* * *

Sasuke had remained solitary for the majority of his time, trying to avoid the invective words and rough touch that was normalcy. The only person he'd spoken to in the entirety of the past two days was Konan, he had found her to make certain she was unharmed. If Pein was home, she was usually left alone, but things could happen.

He was currently walking down one of the maze-like hallways of the base, his heart had weighed down in his chest like iron ever since Pein had told him Naruto wanted to try to break apart the Akatsuki. This could go wrong in so many ways, and only right in one way. It depended on too many things falling into place.

As he crept through the shadows, he became aware he was nearing someone else. He paused, not walking into the living space, eyes widening as he heard Deidara talk.

"That Uchiha brat is getting boring to me, yeah. He used to be a plethora of emotion and pain, he would fight more. Now he doesn't even scream. He's getting to be too much of a slut anyway, hm. Probably too filthy for even a two-cent whore to bother with." He cackled at that, Sasuke pressed tightly against one of the walls so he could have a chance to escape should someone start his way.

"Why not kill him and be done with it, like anyone else we have had?" A bored voice answered Deidara's complaint. Sasuke would have been slightly less bothered had he not known it was Kakuzu speaking; if his own leader wanted to get rid of him, he had no chance of making it out of this alive. His heart began to have a sharp pain each time it beat against his chest. "It's difficult to just kill him off, yeah. Others would kill to have his Kekkei Genkai and would probably swarm us at discovering his death and realizing they could just take his eyes." Sasuke bit his tongue to withhold from being sick.

"Blood Moon will rise tonight. If you burn him with the old book he will die as a sacrifice to the moon and any trace of his existence is instantly erased from the world, no chance for anyone to know he or his ability was even here." Kakuzu's words froze Sasuke's blood. He had stopped breathing, listening for Deidara's reply. "I suppose that would work. A lot of trouble to replace him, hm. But I can easily find another mate." He heard Deidara stand, horror clashed inside of Sasuke and he bolted, the shadows seemed to work with him to conceal and silence his movement as he left the base in seconds, racing out into the forest.

Someone moved directly in front of him seconds after he'd gone to the forest, catching him as he ran into them. He nearly tried to kill said Vampire in an act of desperation before he recognized the silver eyes.

"Pein?" Sasuke looked up in question at the other, still half expecting Deidara to show up and drag him somewhere to kill him. For the first time in the almost two years since he'd been brought here; he was certain he wasn't ready to die.

"You have to listen to me. You have to run, run and fight if you want to live." Sasuke shook his head, trying to remember how to articulate a sentence clearly. "I can't run! He uses the seal to force me to submit to him, if I get too far away it hurts!" He wouldn't make it away, he knew this. He couldn't fight Deidara, the seal depleted his energy entirely if he tried to attack back. "Just trust me." Pein looked up then, Sasuke followed his gaze as the sky began to darken. "The moon will rise soon, it gives Vampires extraordinary power. Just trust me and run, I'll distract them." He started to argue against Pein risking his own life, but he was shoved forward and his legs followed his instinct.

His heart pounded in his ears as he raced past blurs of shapes, running faster than he ever had before. He felt the surroundings around him grow almost pitch black before light began to paint across the earth, the familiar soft glow of the moonlight lighting up the forest. He felt something was different; his body and mind both strengthened their resolve to fight. He didn't know if anyone had already left to follow him yet; if they did, they would have quite a bit of distance to catch up to.

He kept anticipating the debilitating agony the seal could create to engulf him. He swore to fight past it if it began; what was a bit of pain compared to losing your life? His mind kept chanting at him to run faster; could you really outrun the bullet?

_Stop. _

He felt the urge to stop, the sudden thought was so forceful his mind did demand his body to slow a bit. He then instinctively came to a full stop when another Vampire blocked his path, his hand was caught as he brought it up as if in some sort of way of defense to tell the other to leave him.

"You're fast as hell, you know that?" Sasuke's senses returned full force, his crimson eyes bleeding back to ink. "What are you doing here? You could be killed!" Sasuke said, trying to pull his arm back. He gasped as Naruto pulled him forward, trapping Sasuke against him. "We'll both be fine."

_We have two different opinions of what "fine" is._

"I can break your seal." Sasuke's eyes widened, his heart freezing in his chest. He looked up in shock. "You… How?" He shook his head in disbelief. Naruto looked up, towards the moon. "The Hajime Blood Moon rises once a decade, it's a sacred part of our past. It holds spiritual power. Seals can be broken by another Vampire to free a prisoner if they don't want to be mated to the Vampire they are with. You will have absolutely no ties to the Akatsuki or Deidara in any way and they will have no claim to you at all, meaning they cannot start a war as you're not theirs anymore." Sasuke's jaw fell open a bit in shock, trying to get a grip with everything Naruto said.

"But the Vampire that saves you, their seal will be placed on you instead. But I will never keep you tied down where you don't want to be, you will be free to mate with who you want." Naruto's words barely left his mouth before Sasuke kissed him. "I want to be with _you._" He murmured against Naruto's lips. Naruto's eyes brightened slightly. "Are you ready to do this?" He asked. Sasuke nodded in certainty, tilting his head to expose his throat. Naruto's teeth grazed across the seal Deidara had placed on Sasuke's skin; sinking his fangs over it. Sasuke's body went rigid, Naruto's grip around his waist tightened as he removed the seal from Sasuke's body.

_Take away the poison._

_Take away him. _

_And give me you._

The moon, she guarded the sacred promise.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**I apologize for the issues I've had with lyrics in this story, but so many just fit this story.**

**Get Out Alive by Three Days Grace.**


	17. Broken Chains, Freedom Reigns

Sasuke shuddered as Naruto pulled away from him, slowly running his hot tongue over the bite mark. A small spiral was in place of the jagged wound Deidara had once left, signifying Sasuke as Naruto's mate. Naruto stared down at him with those deep blue eyes, both Vampires were panting softly, their bodies pressed close together. Naruto leaned forward, his warm lips connecting with Sasuke's. The raven slid his hands into Naruto's hair to pull him closer, the kiss conveying the passion, sorrow, love and need they had been forced to conceal for so long.

They forced themselves to separate from each other, adrenaline coursing through their veins. "We're not done yet." Sasuke's voice was low as he spoke, Naruto nodded as he straightened up, taking Sasuke's hand. "Pein said he had a plan to kill Kakuzu, I trust he can take care of himself. We have to take care of Deidara." Naruto murmured. Sasuke nodded, knowing Pein had said he was going to distract the leader.

"Deidara will be trying to track you by now. We can confront him in the forest and avoid trying to fight the others." Naruto said, he tilted his head to the side then as if sensing something. "He's not far." Sasuke's eyes flashed as ruby bled into his dark orbs. "Are you certain you want to do this?" Naruto asked, concerned about Sasuke's well-being. Sasuke smirked in reply.

"Vengeance is a game for adults, yes?" He said, Naruto couldn't stifle a small smirk of his own. Seems Sasuke had grown quite a bit from the Fledgling he'd first met. How time manages to go by so fast is a mystery he never figured shivered then, the aura circling their surroundings darkening. He shifted into a defensive stance, his mind settling into a one-track state as the familiar sense of hatred and anger seeped into him from the very person responsible for why he was standing there to begin with.

_Kill._

Deidara had slowed upon sensing two chakras, put off by the power they emanated. He snarled in anger as he broke into the clearing, his venomous gaze flicking from Naruto to Sasuke. "You're a traitor." He growled at Sasuke, his eyes narrowed at the viperous glint in Sasuke's eyes. "You're the traitor for turning on your own kind." Sasuke's voice was cold. In the next second time melted to a stop, Sasuke lunged forward in a speed neither Naruto nor Deidara had expected him to be capable of; murderous intentions fueled Sasuke's power.

Deidara was thrown backwards by the force of Sasuke crashing into him, an infuriated growl echoing off of the trees as the blonde dug his sharp fingernails into Sasuke's throat. Sasuke's knee slammed into Deidara's abdomen, he simultaneously punched Deidara in the face; he felt something snap under his fingers, hoping he'd succeeded in breaking the demon's nose.

Sasuke grit his teeth as Deidara slid his leg between them, knocking him off. Sasuke twisted in the air so he could land on his feet, forcing his body to relax its muscles in order to brace for the strike he knew he wasn't going to be able to avoid. Instead of the attack, he heard Deidara release a grunt of pain. He ducked to the ground as splinters of a tree flew across the clearing.

He whirled around, taking in the destroyed tree Deidara had collided with when Naruto blocked his attack on Sasuke. Naruto's energy levels were spiking almost impossibly high, something Sasuke didn't dwell on as he already moved into another attack. He pulled a blade he kept hidden on his belt out, remembering Madara telling him to always have a weapon on your person.

He knelt down to give himself momentum, pushing off the ground and jumping onto one of the branches overhead. He aimed the knife as he used the branch as leverage to lunge at Deidara just as he pulled himself off the ground. The older Vampire just barely avoided a deadly wound, he ducked and leaned to the left, sustaining a deep slash on his arm. He kicked Sasuke in the chest, knocking him back against a tree.

Sasuke braced his arms in front of his face to deflect a punch, wincing as the bones nearly broke under the pressure. In order to avoid another hit that would deal some serious damage he dropped onto one knee to the ground, listening as the tree burst into splinters above him. He swiped his leg out in an attempt to knock Deidara down, he managed to make the blonde lose his balance. A knife whistled through the air, Deidara's lack of balance made it impossible to dodge it. Deidara hissed as the blade buried itself in his left shoulder.

Sasuke took the distraction the knife gave him to get off the ground, sidestepping when he saw something white fly towards him. He managed to miss being caught in the explosion, but the force behind it blew him back a bit along with Naruto, blurring their senses. He snarled in toxic rage when Deidara lunged, shoving them both to the ground. "I should have killed you a long time ago, you miserable little whore." Deidara had a blade pressed to Sasuke's throat. Sasuke smirked then, making Deidara narrow his eyes at the unexpected reaction.

"In a way you did, but I became something much stronger." Deidara had little time to react as Sasuke grabbed his wrist and violently kneed him in the stomach. Deidara's grip on the sword loosened as he grunted in pain and Sasuke took the chance, flipping them both over and wrenching the weapon from Deidara's hand. He roundhouse kicked Deidara in the side when the blonde stood, satisfied at the muffled snarl of pain, certain he'd broken a rib or two.

Another small, white clay bomb had sneaked its way behind Sasuke. It detonated, the loud explosion knocking Sasuke onto the ground. His ears rang, he shook his head to try and stop the throbbing in his mind. He pushed himself onto his knees, withholding a wince as Deidara kicked him in the stomach hard enough to push him onto his back.

He tried to build up enough energy to deflect another hit, but he didn't have time for it when an overwhelmingly powerful chakra encircled them. Naruto attacked Deidara, both of them flying backwards from the tackle. Sasuke quickly got to his feet, watching with surprise in his eyes as Naruto slashed a deep wound to Deidara's chest. Naruto's eyes were red, the pupil slanted, as if he had unleashed an animal within him. Sasuke should have been frightened by the display of almost demonic strength, but he wasn't. He trusted Naruto enough to feel safe.

Deidara's head snapped sideways when Naruto punched him, the metal eye scope he normally wore over his eye flying off from the hit. Deidara snarled, succeeding in a lucky hit to Naruto's jaw, sliding from under him and jumping from the ground. His glare turned to Sasuke as the raven's energy began to accelerate, Sasuke felt electricity crackle at his hand. He baited Deidara then, in an effort to force him into attacking. "You always talked so arrogantly, yet you are so weak." Sasuke monotoned as if he were bored. Deidara bared his teeth, raising his fist as he rushed forward, Sasuke's eyes allowed him to easily keep track of Deidara's movement. He raised his hand and slammed it forward, he hit the right side of Deidara's chest, the electric energy momentarily stunning Deidara. They both were thrown back from the force of their bodies colliding, the sound almost thunderous.

Sasuke's breath came in shallow pants as he pushed himself up, looking over at Deidara. Two years he was forced through hell on earth. And how many more years had others suffered because of Deidara? Sasuke reached down, pulling the sword he had stolen off of Deidara earlier when the elder tried to slit his throat.

Sasuke stood, his eyes deep with hatred and thirst. He was ending this. He watched Deidara shakily try to stand, his breathing labored and blood dripping from his mouth even as he glared Sasuke down. "Trying to be tough?" Sasuke murmured. Deidara's eyes narrowed into a glare and he lunged forward with a snarl. Sasuke felt the power crackle through the blade as he raised it up, impaling it deep into Deidara's chest and through his heart.

Sasuke watched the life vacate those malicious blue eyes, letting Deidara fall forward onto the ground as he moved to the side. He shook with emotion and adrenaline, reality striking him like lightning. He'd killed Deidara, he had really done it. He fell onto his knees, blood dripped off of the knife stabbed into Deidara's heart. He didn't have to fear him anymore, he had nothing tying him back down to the Akatsuki. He could move forward.

He felt his body relax when gentle arms wrapped around him, enveloping him in a hug. "Are you all right?" Naruto murmured, his breath fanning over Sasuke's ear. The raven nodded, his voice taking a second to function. "Yes… I am." The truth weighed heavily in his voice, for once he genuinely meant it. He stood up with Naruto, instinctively interlocking his fingers with his mate's. The moon still shone overhead, her luminescent light seemed brighter, oddly enough. Naruto tilted Sasuke's chin up to connect their lips for a quick kiss, the moment of warmth replenishing Sasuke's energy and brought him out of his dazed state.

They both looked up when they felt a familiar aura nearing them. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, stepping forward while still holding Naruto's hand. He recognized Konan's energy. He felt a sense of hope he wasn't sure he should let overcome him just yet. Konan's amber eyes flashed in the moonlight as she stepped into the clearing, her mate stood beside her. "Pein? It's done?" Naruto spoke as Sasuke looked over the elder silver-eyed Vampire. He looked injured, but it was clear Konan had spent a deal of her power healing him. Pein nodded, exhaustion in his eyes. "The others are frenzied, trying to decide how they should go about this. We broke out soon before they discovered his death." Sasuke inhaled shakily, overwhelmed with sheer relief. They wouldn't have to worry about them anymore. No one had to be afraid anymore to simply walk out at night. They would disband and be much weaker rogue.

Naruto pulled Sasuke close, a smile in his eyes. "Are you both planning to stay rogue?" Naruto asked, Konan nodded, her soft voice almost melodic in the calm night air. "Yes, it is the best path for us." She murmured. Sasuke returned her gentle smile. "I wish you both luck and peace, you deserve it." Konan bowed her head in thanks to Sasuke. "And to you, young one." With that she took Pein's hand, they both nodded goodbye to Sasuke and Naruto before they vanished with the wind.

Naruto sighed slowly, his tense muscles relaxing as he let the news sink in. "Let's get home." He murmured to Sasuke, the raven followed his lead as they made their way past the trees and shadows, the sense of freedom gratifying. The air seemed purer, he felt indescribably _alive_

Sasuke's eyes had darkened back to their familiar onyx color as they stepped onto the property of Naruto's clan. A female with blonde hair in a ponytail was outside, she took one look at them and called out a name. "Sakura!" Sasuke recognized the Vampire with pink hair from the day she had saved his life when Kisame attacked him. She had tears in her eyes when she walked outside and saw them both. She seemed to quickly pull herself together, ushering them inside. "You should wash up and I will heal your injuries." Sakura murmured as she showed Sasuke to a bedroom, opening a door and letting him inside the bathroom. He heard the blonde female from earlier arguing with Naruto about something, though judging by Sakura rolling her eyes it was probably playful.

Sasuke showered, wincing as the adrenaline wore off and he became fully aware of each wound he'd received. He watched the blood run down the drain, sighing slowly as he felt he was watching the last remembrance of his past vanish. He stepped out, Sakura gave him clothes to wear that were a bit loose, giving her easy access to heal the various injuries as he sat unmoving on the bed. She sighed as she finished, smiling lightly at Sasuke. "I'm glad you're finally free." She murmured. He found himself giving her a light smile in return, she left the room and a few moments later he heard her laugh at something before Naruto quickly walked into the room, shutting the door.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking Sasuke over. The raven couldn't help but smirk, though appreciating Naruto's worry. "I'm fine." He reassured, his eyes quickly glancing over Naruto to make certain he was free of any wound as well. He was surprised when Naruto suddenly enveloped him in a warm embrace, slowly leaning into it and inhaling the intoxicating scent that was his mate. He shivered as Naruto slid one hand around his waist to pull him closer, the bedroom suddenly seeming warm.

He tilted his head up, kissing Naruto on the lips. It was sweetly chaste at first, but it quickly boiled heat and passion within them both. Months of repressing their need for each other took its toll.

Sasuke was gently leaned backward until he hit the bed on his back; the only thought running through his mind as Naruto straddled him was how much he needed to be connected to his mate.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

_**Don't you hate me right now?**_

**CrystalDarkSamus is the cool person that wrote about Sasuke having the spiral and I adored it. It's like anyone sees Sasuke they know not to touch him. **

**I fucking hate writing fight scenes. So, one of you did mention about Pein, Kakuzu, and Deidara in a review. In my and CDS' roleplay, I had played Pein while he was with Kakuzu, and I just wanted a simple quick way to kill Kakuzu; plus the fact we were doing AU so there weren't really any of the normal attacks. Even in this story, I make it seem like it's a huge talent for Vampires to be able to control the "energy" which is me just symbolizing chakra. So, in the roleplay, Pein basically "focused energy into his hand and stabbed Kakuzu through the heart" while Kakuzu was distracted and thought Pein was immobile, quick and simple kill due to Kakuzu under estimating his fellow Vampire. There, I think I elaborated that enough!**

**Was I originally going to have Sasuke fight; no, as we didn't let him fight in the roleplay. Sasuke was made to stay home and the story had a brutal few moments with Naruto and Deidara, but I don't do gore nor could I do it as well as CDS who is a wonderful horror writer. But I chose to break Sasuke completely free of his chains and allow him to destroy the creator, of said chains. This is why even though Naruto does fight, he mostly lets Sasuke attack until he feels the need to protect him.**

**Muse: HUNGER GAMES MUSIC VIDEO! "THE ARENA"- The Tributes by JoeyGraceffa**

***- Sakura laughed because she was amused by Naruto pacing outside of the bedroom waiting to see Sasuke.**


	18. Sin Virtuously With me

Sasuke's arms wrapped around Naruto, pulling him closer and kissing him once more with ardent warmth. Though Sasuke refused to show it, he was unconfident in what he was doing, unsure of how to act. He'd never felt emotions such as this before, much less had any experience dealing with them. This wasn't sex; it was intimacy, trust, amity. Naruto slid his tongue along Sasuke's lower lip, earning access as Sasuke parted his lips.

Sasuke shuddered in pleasure as Naruto deepened the kiss, their tongues battled in a venereal battle for dominance. Sasuke lost when Naruto slowly slid his warm hands beneath his shirt, causing him to gasp and allowing Naruto to win dominance in the kiss. He ran his tongue along every crevice he could reach, ravaging Sasuke's mouth in the slow, amatory kiss. Sasuke's hands entangled in Naruto's blonde hair, moaning softly into the kiss as their tongues sensually danced together. Heat pooled in Sasuke's abdomen, beginning to spread through his body like a fast-acting drug.

They finally broke away, their breath coming quickly. Naruto kissed down Sasuke's jawline, his warm lips sending a shiver down Sasuke's back as they slid across his neck. A low gasp escaped Sasuke when his lover grazed over a sensitive area on his neck, feeling Naruto smirk against his skin. He barely withheld a moan when Naruto began to suck lightly over his pulse, his hips pressing against the other male's as arousal pulsed throughout him.

Naruto continued moving his sinful lips across Sasuke's heated flesh, nipping gently on his shoulder and earning a muffled moan of lust. It felt too good, it was almost addictive the way the unusual pleasure set fire to his senses, igniting a deep desire inside of him.

He pulled apart from Naruto slightly, grabbing the hem of the blonde's shirt and pulling it off of him to reveal the well-defined chest. Their lips met in another intense kiss, Naruto broke it for a short second to all but rip Sasuke's shirt off of him, reconnecting their lips and sliding his hands slowly up the pale torso. A light blush dusted Sasuke's face, slight self-consciousness welling in his mind. All anyone had ever done was insult his body, what if Naruto ended up agreeing with them?

He shivered when Naruto slid his fingertips across his nipples, the blonde pulled back and pecked Sasuke gently on the lips. "You're beautiful." He murmured against Sasuke's lips. Sasuke smiled lightly, the anxiety he'd felt bubbling up completely vanishing. He had to remember who he was with, how much he cared about him. Sasuke trailed soft nips down Naruto's throat.

Naruto tilted his head to allow Sasuke more room, growling softly in lust as he slid a hand between Sasuke's legs, unfastening his pants. Sasuke repressed a gasp of pleasure as Naruto slid his pants down, freeing his erection from its tight confines. He ground their hips together, his hands roaming Naruto's chest and sliding lower, palming his erection. He received a moan in reply, smirking lightly as Naruto bucked his hips into Sasuke's hand. Sasuke slid Naruto's pants down, letting them hit the floor.

He gasped as Naruto suddenly flipped their positions, Sasuke squirmed beneath him as Naruto ground their hips together, both males groaning at the friction. Sasuke's head tilted back as Naruto kissed along his neck and down his chest, sliding his hot tongue across one of his nipples. Sasuke bit his lip, a muffled sound leaving him as he arched his back. Naruto slid his hands down Sasuke's hips, taking off the last bit of clothing the raven had on. He flicked his sinful tongue over Sasuke's other nipple, lightly blowing cool air over it and watching Sasuke shiver at the sensation.

His mouth closed over the pert nipple, circling it with his tongue and finally rousing an unsuppressed moan from Sasuke as the raven entangled his fingers in Naruto's blonde hair, his breath coming in slow pants. Naruto kissed lower down Sasuke's torso, pausing when Sasuke squirmed. Was his stomach a sensitive place? He nipped the skin beside Sasuke's bellybutton, receiving a sharp gasp. Sasuke blushed hotly, his dark eyes glazed in lust as Naruto teased one of his soft spots.

Naruto smiled lightly against Sasuke's skin, kissing lower down his body. Sasuke slid his legs apart on instinct, comfortable enough to let his nerves go. It was overwhelming, how much you could love and trust a person. He shivered when Naruto kissed the inside of his thigh, his eyes fluttering shut in pleasure as he softly moaned the blonde's name.

Naruto kissed down Sasuke's thigh, reaching his throbbing arousal. He flicked his tongue across the tip, eliciting a high moan of pleasure. Sasuke's hands clenched the sheets below him as pleasure coursed up his back, the ecstasy was electrifying. Naruto slowly took Sasuke's member into his mouth, his tongue circling the head. He shivered in lust listening to Sasuke's soft moans, sucking at varying pressures as he bobbed his head, relaxing his throat to take Sasuke deeper.

Sasuke's head was tilted back, his face flushed hotly as the intoxicating combination of pleasure and lust flooded his senses. He felt Naruto shift slightly, hearing something open. He didn't comment, focused on the heat coursing through his veins. Sasuke shivered as he felt something cold circle his entrance, biting down on his lip. Naruto gently pushed the finger into him, sucking slowly on his erection to distract him. Sasuke shifted a bit, tensing slightly before his muscles relaxed. It didn't hurt, it was only a minor discomfort once he got over the initial panic of letting someone touch him in such an intimate place. His mind slowly let go of the past, focusing entirely on Naruto and his actions.

Naruto slowly pumped the finger in and out as he bobbed his head, entering a second one a minute later. He felt Sasuke trying to stay relaxed as he scissored the fingers, carefully stretching him. He paused for half a second in thought, bending his fingers a certain way before pushing them back in. He was rewarded with a surprised, rather loud moan as he struck Sasuke's prostate. Naruto internally smiled, adding the last finger alongside the other two and immediately pumping them against Sasuke's special spot as he sucked at a faster pace on his member.

Sasuke felt a pressure building up in his abdomen, it slowly intensified as Naruto deep-throated him. Electric ecstasy shot throughout him as Naruto assaulted his prostate with his fingers, it was almost too much. He shivered when he neared the edge, Naruto completely pushed him off of it with one last hard suck. Sasuke came with a soft cry, his body arching as the climax hit him. Naruto swallowed, pulling away and licking his lips with a salacious smirk as he removed his digits from Sasuke's body.

Sasuke blinked, a bit dazed from the aftermath of his orgasm. He moaned as Naruto kissed him, the blonde took advantage of Sasuke's already parted lips and ravaged the raven's mouth with his tongue. Sasuke shuddered as he felt Naruto grind their hips, sensitive; he pulled Naruto closer, feeling one of his hands slide down to his hip. "Do you want me?" Naruto murmured against Sasuke's lips, Sasuke instantly replied. "Yes." His voice was breathless with lust, but he meant it so deeply. He wanted _everything_ about Naruto.

Naruto smiled softly, his eyes warm with affection. He poured a liberal amount of the lubricant into his palm, using it to slick his erection before positioning over Sasuke. He kissed him lightly in an effort to take his mind off the next action, slowly pushing into the tight ring of muscle. Sasuke's hands came up to clutch Naruto's arms, withholding the sound of pain that threatened to leave him. His attention zeroed in on their kiss, trying not to focus on the slight pain as Naruto sheathed himself inside of him. Naruto had taken care in preparing Sasuke and was thankfully slow as he entered him, he wanted to make sure Sasuke felt as little pain as possible.

They broke the kiss to catch their breath, Naruto nuzzled Sasuke's neck lightly. Sasuke's senses buzzed with the dynamizing sensation of Naruto filling him, his erection already rising again as lust hit him like a bullet; he felt overwhelmed with satisfaction at finally being connected with the man he loved so much. It was almost startling, how hard and quickly he'd fallen for Naruto, but he was grateful it had happened. He moved his hips as his body relaxed to the intrusion, his desire immediately begging to be satiated.

Naruto pulled back slightly before thrusting back inside, keeping himself under control with the slow pace as Sasuke's body adjusted. Both males quickly wanted something more. "Faster." Sasuke's voice was barely a whisper breathed against Naruto's ear, but the message was conveyed clearly. Naruto lifted one of Sasuke's legs onto his shoulder to reach deeper inside of him, now thrusting completely into him.

Naruto paused for a moment and adjusted his angle before he thrust back in, smirking at the cry of his name Sasuke hadn't been able to stop. Sasuke's hips bucked up, encouraging Naruto to thrust faster as waves of pleasure crashed through him. Soft moans slipped past his lips at the hard pace Naruto built up, his special spot being slammed into each time. He was panting as his hips met Naruto's thrusts, pulling him down to roughly connect their lips. They both moaned into the deep kiss, Sasuke was beginning to tighten around Naruto as he neared his finish.

Naruto gently nipped Sasuke's lower lip as they pulled back, his desire-darkened blue eyes looking down at his flushed lover. He really did look gorgeous, caught in the throes of passion. Sasuke gasped in surprise when Naruto's hand began to pump his neglected member, the added stimulation nearly short-circuiting his senses. He tried to hold on for as long as he could to prolong the incredible feeling, but he had to give in.

"Naruto!" His voice was laced with bliss as he came, crying his mate's name. His vision turned white, his body on overload as the climax hit him with violent intensity. Naruto shivered at hearing his name called in such a way, pushing deep inside of Sasuke and coming with a breathy moan. Sasuke whimpered in pleasure at the warm feeling, responding dazedly when Naruto kissed him as he slowly pulled out. Naruto used the discarded shirt from before to clean himself and Sasuke off, smiling lightly as Sasuke tried to regain his sense.

Naruto lay beside his lover, wrapping an arm around him and pulling Sasuke against him. Sasuke sighed in contentment, deeply pleased and comfortable. Naruto looked over the raven haired Vampire, biting his lip. He truly never had made such a connection before, it was past any emotional or physical level he'd ever been on. "I love you, Sasuke." Naruto's voice was soft in the quiet room, his fingers slowly brushing through Sasuke's hair as he held him closely. Sasuke smiled lightly, tilting his head up to peck Naruto on the lips before resting his head back on the blonde's shoulder. "I love you too. So much." His eyes drifted shut as Naruto lulled him into a deep, peaceful sleep.

_You've done so much for me… It's frightening to love you so much._

But it's amazing all the same.

* * *

Sasuke looked up as he lay on the cool grass below him, the moonlight glinting off his obsidian eyes. He was a little older, a little wiser, and much happier; but the moon had always been the same. A guide, really. He felt Naruto lean against him, smiling imperceptibly. The moon was the same for everyone else in the world, if you looked at it, be sure your loved one was looking at the very same moon. She knew your secret, but she wouldn't tell.

It had been barely a month since he and Naruto managed to break the Akatsuki apart, to be together, and it would suffice to say it felt like much longer. The Akatsuki seemed like a distant nightmare Sasuke had dealt with a long time ago. "I love you." He told Naruto, the statement having far more meaning to it than he would have believed had he not met Naruto. "Forever?" Naruto said with a chuckle. Sasuke smirked at the game they'd somehow made. "Forever." Naruto smiled, kissing Sasuke's hand. "For eternity, then." He murmured.

"Eternity is a long time." Sasuke said with a hint of amusement in his voice. Naruto gave him a blinding grin, Sasuke felt himself begin to smile back; Naruto's cheerful personality was contagious, one of the things he found so addictive about his mate.

"Yeah, but you'll be spending it with me." Naruto said matter-of-factly, bringing Sasuke into a soft kiss. Sasuke interlaced their fingers as they pulled back, eyes meeting. "An eternity with you? Is that a good or a bad thing?" Sasuke chuckled as Naruto lightly punched his arm.

"I love you, you jerk." Naruto said with a smile, tilting his head up to look at the full moon, giving Sasuke's hand a squeeze. Sasuke followed his gaze, feeling as if the moon herself was smiling down at them. "I love you too, Naruto." He said softly, finally not fearing anything anymore. He was certain that one way or another, things would always be okay.

After all, eternity means forever, and forever means never ending. So if the soul is eternal, does that mean love never ends? Love and lust mix together; as with virtuous actions, comes the beckon of sin, and sin holds a sentiment of virtue as long as love is entwined with intimacy. Walk the path between heaven and hell and experience the ultimate, of our virtuous sin.

* * *

**AUTHORESS NOTE:**

**Almost cried at this. It's been a long, happy journey with ups and downs, but it all comes right back up to end another wonderful chapter of my writing life with you lovely and supportive readers! **

**I died writing the love scene here. Credit goes to; music, the authoress Sasuke Neko, the storm outside, and online NaruSasuNaru porn.**

**Also one more thing to say; yes, this story is **_**complete**_** and as always, there's a **_**chance**_** I would write an epilogue, but I doubt it here since I really have no more ideas for it. It's one of mine that just has a happy ending. If I write an epilogue it's probably going to be another love scene set a few years from now. Some of you were really hoping for a longer story, but honestly, I have no more places to take this. The ending was always going to be this, and I knew it; we just had to break Sasuke out and end the cycle. And then of course, make everyone who deserved it, happy.**

**And just ONE thing I have to say; I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who is not on the current chapter of the Naruto manga, but logically speaking Sasuke **_**is**_** afraid to love, it seems. He and Naruto had a close bond and he's afraid of that, he doesn't want ties with anyone; so what I was writing wasn't entirely unrealistic. It is a frightening feeling, to love a person so deeply.**


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